(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-65B-3E, OH

Coin Details

Description

P. Brady, a Bellevue merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 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 11 cataloged varieties for P. Brady indicate a notable level of token production. This white metal striking (Fuld 65B-3E) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy.

Rarity Notes

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 11 cataloged varieties, P. Brady was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 65B-3E