(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-750E-4c, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 750E-4c. 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 750E-4c) is scarce 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. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Pure nickel pieces are harder to strike than copper, contributing to their relative scarcity. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 17 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 750E-4c