(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165GS-16a, Robert Wright OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165GS-16a — store card of Robert Wright, Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. Robert Wright produced 27 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. This copper striking (Fuld 165GS-16a) is common among the known varieties. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 27 cataloged varieties, Robert Wright was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GS-16a