(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AL-2B, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$199,750 MS62 01-08-2014 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of L. Eckert, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. L. Eckert issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165AL-2B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. 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. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 8 cataloged varieties, L. Eckert was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AL-2B