(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165BT-15a, B. Hempelman OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by B. Hempelman of Cincinnati, Ohio. Known as the "Queen of the West," Cincinnati served as a major Ohio River commercial hub. Its merchants produced hundreds of store card varieties during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The 19 cataloged varieties for B. Hempelman indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165BT-15a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. 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 19 cataloged varieties, B. Hempelman was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BT-15a