(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-995J-3a, C.W. Potwin & Co. OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of C.W. Potwin & Co. in Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. C.W. Potwin & Co. issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 995J-3a) is common for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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, C.W. Potwin & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 995J-3a