(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-805A-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Cummins & Anderson of Shelby, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The 14 cataloged varieties for Cummins & Anderson indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 805A-1A) is common among the known varieties. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 14 cataloged varieties, Cummins & Anderson was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 805A-1A