(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-135A-1a, James Mathews OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by James Mathews, operating in Centervill, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. With 3 known varieties, James Mathews produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 135A-1a) is common among the known varieties. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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, James Mathews was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 135A-1a