(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-975A-1c, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from P.E. Beach of Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 975A-1c. 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. P.E. Beach issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in nickel, this die combination (Fuld 975A-1c) is scarce. 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. Nickel tokens were produced in smaller quantities than the standard copper issues. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 7 cataloged varieties, P.E. Beach was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 975A-1c