(1862) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165BV-17a, V. Heyl OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$192 MS62BN 01-12-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War-era store card from V. Heyl, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. 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. V. Heyl produced 23 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165BV-17a) is common for this merchant. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 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 23 cataloged varieties, V. Heyl was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BV-17a