(1863) Civil War Store Card F-290A-5a, Allen's OH

Coin Details

Description

W.B. Eager, an Elyria merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. With 3 known varieties, W.B. Eager produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 290A-5a) is common. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 3 cataloged varieties, W.B. Eager was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 290A-5a