(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-125A-5D, OH

Coin Details

Description

J.A. Meyer, a Canton merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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. J.A. Meyer issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 125A-5D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical 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 9 cataloged varieties, J.A. Meyer was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 125A-5D