(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-175M-1a, I. P. Sherwood OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from I. P. Sherwood of Cleveland, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 175M-1a. Cleveland was a major Lake Erie port and growing industrial center connected to Eastern markets by railroad and the Ohio & Erie Canal. I. P. Sherwood issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 175M-1a) is common. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Die sinkers in major cities competed fiercely for merchant orders, offering stock reverses that could be paired with custom obverse dies featuring the merchant's name and business information. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 8 cataloged varieties, I. P. Sherwood was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 175M-1a