(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165FO-1a, H.E. Shaw OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$275 MS64BN 12-29-2022 eBay

Description

This Civil War token was issued by H.E. Shaw, 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. H.E. Shaw issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165FO-1a) is common among the known varieties. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. 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 5 cataloged varieties, H.E. Shaw was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FO-1a