(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165O-12a, C.H. Bennett OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by C.H. Bennett 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. With 3 known varieties, C.H. Bennett produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165O-12a) is common. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 3 cataloged varieties, C.H. Bennett was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165O-12a