(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-165FN-4b, W. Mendal Shafer OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$480 MS62 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of W. Mendal Shafer, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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 14 cataloged varieties for W. Mendal Shafer indicate a notable level of token production. This brass striking (Fuld 165FN-4b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. 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 14 cataloged varieties, W. Mendal Shafer was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FN-4b