(1863) Nickel Civil War Store Card F-830E-1Aa, Plated G.W. McLean OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from G.W. McLean, a Springfld, Ohio business. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. G.W. McLean issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This nickel striking (Fuld 830E-1Aa) is scarce among the known varieties. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Nickel strikings are scarcer than copper or brass versions and have a distinctive silvery appearance. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 7 cataloged varieties, G.W. McLean was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 830E-1Aa