(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-445A-5A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Geo. D. Riegel, located in Laurelvill, Ohio. 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. Geo. D. Riegel issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 445A-5A) is common among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 8 cataloged varieties, Geo. D. Riegel was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 445A-5A