(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-925A-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

C.M. Coffin of West Newton issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War 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. C.M. Coffin issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 925A-3A) is common. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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, C.M. Coffin was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 925A-3A