(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-550A-1a, H.M. Cochran OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$4,080 MS63RB 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from H.M. Cochran of Mcconnels, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 550A-1a. 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 2 known varieties, H.M. Cochran produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 550A-1a) is common for this merchant. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. 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 2 cataloged varieties, H.M. Cochran was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 550A-1a