(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-850A-2D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 850A-2D — store card of M.J. Kirchner, Tiffin, 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. With 3 known varieties, M.J. Kirchner produced a modest number of token types. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 850A-2D) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 3 cataloged varieties, M.J. Kirchner was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 850A-2D