(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-830D-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Ludlow & Bushnell of 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. This copper striking (Fuld 830D-2A) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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-2A