(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-74A-14A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of D.E. Stearns, located in Berea, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. D.E. Stearns produced 24 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. This copper striking (Fuld 74A-14A) is common among the known varieties. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 24 cataloged varieties, D.E. Stearns was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 74A-14A