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

Coin Details

Description

Ludlow & Bushnell, based in Springfld, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. The 13 cataloged varieties for Ludlow & Bushnell indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 830D-6A) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern 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-6A