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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Chas. W. Stearns of Cleveland, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 175O-1I. 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. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 175O-1I) is scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. 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. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 9 cataloged varieties, Chas. W. Stearns was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 175O-1I