(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150B-1I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Miles & Sperry, a Chestervil, 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. Miles & Sperry issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 150B-1I) is scarce. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 5 cataloged varieties, Miles & Sperry was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150B-1I