(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165DC-1a, H. Lazaress OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by H. Lazaress of Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. With 2 known varieties, H. Lazaress produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 165DC-1a) is common among the known varieties. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 2 cataloged varieties, H. Lazaress was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165DC-1a