(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-74A-7B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from D.E. Stearns of Berea, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 74A-7B. 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. D.E. Stearns produced 24 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 74A-7B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 24 cataloged varieties, D.E. Stearns was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 74A-7B