(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-880A-1a, J. Hall OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$288 MS64BN 05-29-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

J. Hall of Troy issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Troy's industrial economy produced a substantial body of Civil War token issues, with local merchants advertising their services on these cent-sized pieces. With 2 known varieties, J. Hall produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 880A-1a) is common for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Some token dies were used so extensively that late strikes show significant die wear, providing collectors with a chronological sequence of the production run from fresh to deteriorated states. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 2 cataloged varieties, J. Hall was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 880A-1a