(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-835B-1a, J.H. Bristor OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from J.H. Bristor, a Steubenvil, Ohio business. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. With 3 known varieties, J.H. Bristor produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 835B-1a) is common among the known varieties. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The coin shortage was exacerbated by the simultaneous withdrawal of gold and silver from circulation following the suspension of specie payments in December 1861. 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, J.H. Bristor was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 835B-1a