(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-995J-3b, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 995J-3b — store card of C.W. Potwin & Co., 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. C.W. Potwin & Co. issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 995J-3b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, C.W. Potwin & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 995J-3b