(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-880G-2a, Rinehart & Gray OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Rinehart & Gray of Troy, Ohio. 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 4 known varieties, Rinehart & Gray produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 880G-2a) 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. 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. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 4 cataloged varieties, Rinehart & Gray was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 880G-2a