(1862) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165BO-1a, M. Hartzel OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$95 MS64BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

M. Hartzel, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Known as the "Queen of the West," Cincinnati served as a major Ohio River commercial hub. Its merchants produced hundreds of store card varieties during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The 11 cataloged varieties for M. Hartzel indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 165BO-1a) is common among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 11 cataloged varieties, M. Hartzel was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BO-1a