(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-505B-1B, OH

Coin Details

Description

F. Borr. of Mansfield issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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. The 18 cataloged varieties for F. Borr. indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 505B-1B) is common to somewhat scarce. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 18 cataloged varieties, F. Borr. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 505B-1B