(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165GX-2a, Jos. Zanone OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165GX-2a — store card of Jos. Zanone, Ohio. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. Jos. Zanone issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165GX-2a) is common among the known varieties. 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. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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, Jos. Zanone was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GX-2a