(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-935A-5a, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Owens & Taylor, a Wilmington, Ohio business. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Owens & Taylor issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 935A-5a) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Owens & Taylor was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 935A-5a