(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-830F-4A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Murphy & Bro. in Springfld, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. Murphy & Bro. issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 830F-4A) is common for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 8 cataloged varieties, Murphy & Bro. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 830F-4A