(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-695A-4A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of J.F. Seas in Orville, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. J.F. Seas issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 695A-4A) is common. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. 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. 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 7 cataloged varieties, J.F. Seas was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 695A-4A