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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Cleveland, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 175Q-2I. 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. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 175Q-2I) is scarce for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. 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. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 8 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 175Q-2I