(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-115A-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from A.C. Cochran, a Cambridge, Ohio business. 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. A.C. Cochran issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 115A-2A) is common for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 7 cataloged varieties, A.C. Cochran was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 115A-2A