(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-830E-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

G.W. McLean, based in Springfld, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. G.W. McLean issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 830E-3A) is common among the known varieties. 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. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 7 cataloged varieties, G.W. McLean was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 830E-3A