(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-115A-4A, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$14,100 Details 08-10-2016 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War-era store card from A.C. Cochran, a Cambridge, Ohio business. 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. A.C. Cochran issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 115A-4A) is common. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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-4A