(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-535A-3a, P.G. Albright OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$144 MS65BN 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

P.G. Albright, based in Massillon, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime 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. The 12 cataloged varieties for P.G. Albright indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 535A-3a) is common for this merchant. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. 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 Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 12 cataloged varieties, P.G. Albright was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 535A-3a