(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-815A-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fry & Johnston, a Sidney merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. Fry & Johnston issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 815A-1A) is common for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Fry & Johnston was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 815A-1A