(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-320A-1I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 320A-1I — store card of Bartlett & Rigby, Easton, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. With 4 known varieties, Bartlett & Rigby produced a modest number of token types. This zinc striking (Fuld 320A-1I) is scarce among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. 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 4 cataloged varieties, Bartlett & Rigby was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 320A-1I