(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-560B-3a, A.W. Prentiss OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of A.W. Prentiss, located in Monroevill, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. A.W. Prentiss issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 560B-3a) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 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, A.W. Prentiss was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 560B-3a