(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165EM-2a, Chas. Plumb OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Chas. Plumb in Cincinnati, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. Chas. Plumb issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165EM-2a) is common. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 9 cataloged varieties, Chas. Plumb was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EM-2a