(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-320D-4D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from S.S. Tuttle, a Frederick, Ohio business. 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. With 3 known varieties, S.S. Tuttle produced a modest number of token types. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 320D-4D) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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 3 cataloged varieties, S.S. Tuttle was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 320D-4D