(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-200A-4D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from John Grether, a Columbus, Ohio business. As Ohio's capital, Columbus saw enormous wartime military activity, and its merchants issued tokens to facilitate commerce amid the acute coin shortage. The 12 cataloged varieties for John Grether indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 200A-4D) is somewhat scarce. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 12 cataloged varieties, John Grether was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 200A-4D