(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-450A-4a, R. Boose OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from R. Boose, a Lima, Ohio business. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. R. Boose issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 450A-4a) is common for this merchant. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. The Civil War token series provides one of the most comprehensive records of mid-nineteenth century American retail commerce, documenting businesses that left few other historical traces. 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

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 6 cataloged varieties, R. Boose was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 450A-4a