(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165GI-9a, Excelsior Tobacco Works OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Weighell & Son's of Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Weighell & Son's issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165GI-9a) is common. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War tokens circulated alongside postage currency, fractional currency notes, and encased postage stamps as substitutes for the federal coins that had disappeared from commercial channels. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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, Weighell & Son's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GI-9a