No Date Token F-165Ia-1b Brass PE W. Baker & Co. OH

Coin Details

Description

This undated brass Civil War store card cataloged as Fuld 165Ia-1b features a patriotic die (PE) issued by W. Baker & Company of Ohio. The brass composition and "1b" Fuld designation identify this as a specific die and metal combination. W. Baker & Company's partnership structure indicates a substantial commercial operation that served its Ohio community. The patriotic die expressed Union loyalty, an important commercial consideration in a state where support for the war effort was strong but not universal — Ohio experienced significant Copperhead (anti-war Democrat) activity, and merchants who displayed patriotic sentiments on their tokens were making a public political statement as well as conducting business. Baker & Company's brass token has survived as both a commercial artifact and a political declaration from Civil War-era Ohio.

Rarity Notes

Brass Civil War store card. Fuld 165Ia-1b. W. Baker & Co., Ohio.

Cross References

PCGS #629441; Fuld 165Ia-1b; W. Baker & Co., OH