(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-185A-4B, OH

Coin Details

Description

P. Carle & Son, based in Collinsvil, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. P. Carle & Son issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 185A-4B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Fuld 185A-4B