(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-765Q-3a, PA

Coin Details

Description

John W. Pittock of Pennsylvania issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. The 15 cataloged varieties for John W. Pittock indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 765Q-3a) is common. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 15 cataloged varieties, John W. Pittock was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 765Q-3a