(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-650A-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Saml. Bishop, located in N. Liberty, 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. With 3 known varieties, Saml. Bishop produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 650A-2A) is common. 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 token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 3 cataloged varieties, Saml. Bishop was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 650A-2A