(1862) Brass Civil War Store Card F-165GC-3b, Van. Wunder OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$216 XF45 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Van. Wunder, a Cincinnati merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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. The 18 cataloged varieties for Van. Wunder indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165GC-3b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 18 cataloged varieties, Van. Wunder was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GC-3b