(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AM-2A, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,240 06-16-2024 Heritage Auctions

Description

C.W. Ellis of Cincinnati issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. With 4 known varieties, C.W. Ellis produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165AM-2A) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 4 cataloged varieties, C.W. Ellis was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165AM-2A