(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-725B-1a, D. Kreps OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of D. Kreps in 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. With 3 known varieties, D. Kreps produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 725B-1a) is common among the known varieties. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 3 cataloged varieties, D. Kreps was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 725B-1a