(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-830D-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 830D-1A — store card of Ludlow & Bushnell, Springfld, 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 13 cataloged varieties for Ludlow & Bushnell indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 830D-1A) is common. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 13 cataloged varieties, Ludlow & Bushnell was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 830D-1A