(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165AW-10a, Chas. Flach OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$250 AU55 10-09-2017 David Lawrence RC

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Chas. Flach, operating 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 13 cataloged varieties for Chas. Flach indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165AW-10a) 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. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. 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

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 13 cataloged varieties, Chas. Flach was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AW-10a