(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-74A-11a, D.E. Stearns OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by D.E. Stearns of Berea, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. D.E. Stearns produced 24 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. This copper striking (Fuld 74A-11a) is common among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The federal government's response to the coin shortage included issuing fractional currency in denominations as small as three cents, but these paper notes wore out quickly and were unpopular with merchants. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 24 cataloged varieties, D.E. Stearns was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 74A-11a