(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-555A-1B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of P.L. Potter, located in Middleton, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The 12 cataloged varieties for P.L. Potter indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 555A-1B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 12 cataloged varieties, P.L. Potter was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 555A-1B