(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AA-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Commission Boots & Shoes of Ohio produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime 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. Commission Boots & Shoes issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165AA-1A) is common. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes.

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 9 cataloged varieties, Commission Boots & Shoes was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AA-1A