(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165AE-14d, Costello's OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Costello's of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165AE-14d. 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. Costello's produced 20 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165AE-14d) is somewhat scarce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 20 cataloged varieties, Costello's was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AE-14d