(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165AE-11a, Costello's OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$120 AU50BN 05-13-2023 eBay

Description

Costello's, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. Costello's produced 20 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165AE-11a) is common for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 20 cataloged varieties, Costello's was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AE-11a