(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-805A-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Cummins & Anderson of Shelby, Ohio. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. The 14 cataloged varieties for Cummins & Anderson indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 805A-3A) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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-3A