(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-830A-6A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of W.G. Brain, located in Springfld, 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 W.G. Brain indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 830A-6A) is common. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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-6A