(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-745B-3B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from S.W. Cunning, a Portsmouth, Ohio business. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. S.W. Cunning issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 745B-3B) is common to somewhat scarce. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 9 cataloged varieties, S.W. Cunning was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 745B-3B