(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-100B-4A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from E.G. Selbys of Bryan, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 100B-4A. 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. E.G. Selbys issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 100B-4A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 8 cataloged varieties, E.G. Selbys was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 100B-4A