(1864) Brass Civil War Store Card F-450A-2b, R. Boose OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$408 MS63 12-21-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from R. Boose of Lima, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 450A-2b. 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. R. Boose issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 450A-2b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, R. Boose was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 450A-2b