(No Date) Brass Civil War Store Card F-175G-1b, D.W. Gage OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from D.W. Gage of Cleveland, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 175G-1b. Cleveland's position on Lake Erie made it a vital shipping hub for wartime goods, and its merchants participated actively in the Civil War token phenomenon. D.W. Gage issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 175G-1b) is common to somewhat scarce. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. 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. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 9 cataloged varieties, D.W. Gage was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 175G-1b