(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165G-7d, H. Avermaat OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165G-7d — store card of H. Avermaat, Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. The 11 cataloged varieties for H. Avermaat indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165G-7d) is somewhat scarce. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 11 cataloged varieties, H. Avermaat was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165G-7d