(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165GR-2a, Wright OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$432 XF45BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Wright, operating in 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. With 2 known varieties, Wright produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165GR-2a) is common for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 2 cataloged varieties, Wright was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165GR-2a