(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-175O-1B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Chas. W. Stearns, a Cleveland, Ohio business. Cleveland's position on Lake Erie made it a vital shipping hub for wartime goods, and its merchants participated actively in the Civil War token phenomenon. Chas. W. Stearns issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 175O-1B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 9 cataloged varieties, Chas. W. Stearns was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 175O-1B