(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-175N-3B, OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by J.P. Sherwood in Ohio. 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. J.P. Sherwood issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 175N-3B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. 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. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, J.P. Sherwood was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 175N-3B