(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-995B-1d, OH

Coin Details

Description

H.G.O. Cary of Ohio issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. H.G.O. Cary issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 995B-1d) is somewhat scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 6 cataloged varieties, H.G.O. Cary was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 995B-1d