(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165FZ-3a, C. Sutton's OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by C. Sutton's 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. C. Sutton's issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165FZ-3a) is common for this merchant. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. 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 8 cataloged varieties, C. Sutton's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FZ-3a