(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165EH-1a, O'Reilly Bros. OH

Coin Details

Description

O'Reilly Bros., 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. The 12 cataloged varieties for O'Reilly Bros. indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165EH-1a) is common for this merchant. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 12 cataloged varieties, O'Reilly Bros. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EH-1a