(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-750B-1c, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 750B-1c. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. This nickel striking (Fuld 750B-1c) is scarce among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Pure nickel pieces are harder to strike than copper, contributing to their relative scarcity. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 12 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 750B-1c