(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-750L-1d, Great Central Fair PA

Coin Details

Description

GW-672, Great Central Fair, a Phila merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. With 3 known varieties, GW-672, Great Central Fair produced a modest number of token types. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 750L-1d) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 3 cataloged varieties, GW-672, Great Central Fair was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 750L-1d