(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-560A-7a, R.G. Martin OH

Coin Details

Description

R.G. Martin of Monroevill issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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. R.G. Martin issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 560A-7a) is common among the known varieties. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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 8 cataloged varieties, R.G. Martin was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 560A-7a