(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-990A-1a, W. & A. J. Packard OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of W. & A.J. Packard in Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. With 4 known varieties, W. & A.J. Packard produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 990A-1a) is common. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 4 cataloged varieties, W. & A.J. Packard was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 990A-1a