(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-440A-4a, J. Armbruster OH

Coin Details

Description

J. Ambruster, a Lancaster merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. With 4 known varieties, J. Ambruster produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 440A-4a) is common for this merchant. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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, J. Ambruster was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 440A-4a