(1863) Nickel Civil War Store Card F-505B-2c, Mansfield OH

Coin Details

Description

F. Borr. of Mansfield issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. The 18 cataloged varieties for F. Borr. indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in nickel, this die combination (Fuld 505B-2c) is scarce. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Nickel tokens were produced in smaller quantities than the standard copper issues. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 18 cataloged varieties, F. Borr. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 505B-2c