(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-175L-3a, T.J. Quinlan OH

Coin Details

Description

T.J. Quinlan, a Cleveland merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Cleveland's position on Lake Erie made it a vital shipping hub for wartime goods, and its merchants participated actively in the Civil War token phenomenon. With 4 known varieties, T.J. Quinlan produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 175L-3a) is common. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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, T.J. Quinlan was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 175L-3a