(1862) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165F-1a, J.S. Austin OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from J.S. Austin, 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. The 10 cataloged varieties for J.S. Austin indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 165F-1a) is common among the known varieties. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 10 cataloged varieties, J.S. Austin was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165F-1a