(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-880B-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of S.K. Harter in Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. With 2 known varieties, S.K. Harter produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 880B-1A) is common. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 2 cataloged varieties, S.K. Harter was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 880B-1A