(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165AN-5d, Fenton & Beck OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Fenton & Beck, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. Fenton & Beck issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165AN-5d) is somewhat scarce. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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 7 cataloged varieties, Fenton & Beck was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AN-5d