(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165AX-1a, James Foster Jr. & Co. OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from James Foster Jr. & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165AX-1a. 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. James Foster Jr. & Co. issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165AX-1a) is common among the known varieties. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 5 cataloged varieties, James Foster Jr. & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AX-1a