(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-160J-3a, A. Wallace OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of A. Wallace, located in Chillicoth, 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 4 known varieties, A. Wallace produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 160J-3a) is common among the known varieties. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 4 cataloged varieties, A. Wallace was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 160J-3a