(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-815A-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fry & Johnston of Sidney issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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. Fry & Johnston issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 815A-2A) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. 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 5 cataloged varieties, Fry & Johnston was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 815A-2A