(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-765K-3d, PA

Coin Details

Description

Store card of J.W. McCarthy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. With 4 known varieties, J.W. McCarthy produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 765K-3d) is somewhat scarce. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 4 cataloged varieties, J.W. McCarthy was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 765K-3d