(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AA-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Commission Boots & Shoes of Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165AA-3A. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. Commission Boots & Shoes issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165AA-3A) is common for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 9 cataloged varieties, Commission Boots & Shoes was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AA-3A