(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-360B-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from T.P. Turpen of Greenville, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 360B-2A. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. T.P. Turpen issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 360B-2A) is common for this merchant. 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 hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 6 cataloged varieties, T.P. Turpen was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 360B-2A