(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165FO-1d, H.E. Shaw OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from H.E. Shaw of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FO-1d. 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. H.E. Shaw issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165FO-1d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 5 cataloged varieties, H.E. Shaw was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FO-1d