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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 750P-4c. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Struck in nickel, this die combination (Fuld 750P-4c) is scarce. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. 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 5 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 750P-4c