(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-175Q-2B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Cleveland, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 175Q-2B. 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. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 175Q-2B) is common to somewhat scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 8 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 175Q-2B