(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-765P-4b, PA

Coin Details

Description

Pittock's of Pittsburgh issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. Pittock's produced 27 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 765P-4b) is common to somewhat scarce. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 27 cataloged varieties, Pittock's was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 765P-4b