(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-765R-3b, PA

Coin Details

Description

Pittsburgh 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. Pittsburgh issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 765R-3b) is common to somewhat scarce. 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. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, Pittsburgh was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 765R-3b