(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-190A-3a, Icenhour & Co OH

Coin Details

Description

Icenhour & Co, based in Columbiana, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime 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. Icenhour & Co issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 190A-3a) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 7 cataloged varieties, Icenhour & Co was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 190A-3a