(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165FXa-10a, Steamer Lancaster OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$660 MS63BN 09-02-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Steamer Lancaster in Ohio. 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. Steamer Lancaster issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165FXa-10a) is common among the known varieties. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 9 cataloged varieties, Steamer Lancaster was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FXa-10a