(1863) Civil War Store Card F-555A-4a, P.L. Potter OH

Coin Details

Description

P.L. Potter, a Middleton merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. The 12 cataloged varieties for P.L. Potter indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 555A-4a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 12 cataloged varieties, P.L. Potter was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 555A-4a