(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-990A-1c, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 990A-1c — store card of W. & A.J. Packard, Ohio. 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. With 4 known varieties, W. & A.J. Packard produced a modest number of token types. The nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 990A-1c) is scarce for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Nickel tokens were produced in smaller quantities than the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 4 cataloged varieties, W. & A.J. Packard was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 990A-1c