(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-535C-2a, Fred Loeffler OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$120 MS62BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Fred Loeffler, operating in Massillon, Ohio. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. With 3 known varieties, Fred Loeffler produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 535C-2a) 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 3 cataloged varieties, Fred Loeffler was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 535C-2a