(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-750A-5A, MD

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Maryland, cataloged as Fuld 750A-5A. Maryland was a border state with significant Confederate sympathies, particularly in Baltimore, where merchants issued tokens during the small change shortage. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 750A-5A) is common. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 11 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 750A-5A