(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-505B-3D, 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 copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 505B-3D) is 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. 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 18 cataloged varieties, F. Borr. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 505B-3D