(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-995C-5a, OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Joseph Crosby, operating in Zanesville, Ohio. 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. Joseph Crosby issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 995C-5a) is common among the known varieties. 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. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 6 cataloged varieties, Joseph Crosby was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 995C-5a