(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-830A-10A, OH

Coin Details

Description

W.G. Brain of Springfld issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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 W.G. Brain indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 830A-10A) is common. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. 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. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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, W.G. Brain was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 830A-10A