(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-505B-5B, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$192 MS64 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

F. Borr. of Mansfield issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The 18 cataloged varieties for F. Borr. indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 505B-5B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. 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. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper.

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-5B