(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-165FP-11b, F. Sheen OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$312 MS66RD 12-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Fuld 165FP-11b — store card of F. Sheen, Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. The 16 cataloged varieties for F. Sheen indicate a notable level of token production. This brass striking (Fuld 165FP-11b) 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 strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper. 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

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 16 cataloged varieties, F. Sheen was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FP-11b