(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165AN-3a, Fenton & Beck OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Fenton & Beck of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165AN-3a. 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. Fenton & Beck issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165AN-3a) is common among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 7 cataloged varieties, Fenton & Beck was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AN-3a