No Date Token F-60Y-1b Brass PE Ph. Odenwald MD

Coin Details

Description

This undated Civil War era store card, cataloged as Fuld 60Y-1b, is a brass patriotic edition token issued by Ph. Odenwald of Maryland. Philip Odenwald was a Baltimore merchant whose German surname reflects the significant German-American population in mid-nineteenth century Baltimore. German immigrants and their descendants formed a substantial portion of Baltimore's commercial class, operating breweries, bakeries, hardware stores, and other businesses. Odenwald's Civil War token served the dual purpose of providing small change during the coin shortage and advertising his business to the local community. The German-American community in Baltimore generally supported the Union cause, and patriotic tokens like this one served as public declarations of loyalty during a period of intense political scrutiny in the border state of Maryland.

Rarity Notes

Civil War store card, Fuld 60Y-1b. Brass patriotic edition. Ph. Odenwald, Baltimore, MD. Scarce.

Cross References

PCGS #629286; Fuld 60Y-1b; Ph. Odenwald, MD