(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165GC-6b, Van. Wunder OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Van. Wunder of 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. The 18 cataloged varieties for Van. Wunder indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165GC-6b) is common. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 18 cataloged varieties, Van. Wunder was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GC-6b