(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165ES-1a, I. Rees OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$28 AU53 01-20-2014 Stack's Bowers

Description

I. Rees of Cincinnati issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War 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. With 3 known varieties, I. Rees produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165ES-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 Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 3 cataloged varieties, I. Rees was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165ES-1a