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

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,645 MS62 08-02-2017 Heritage Auctions

Description

This Civil War token was issued by C.W. Ellis, operating in 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. With 4 known varieties, C.W. Ellis produced a modest number of token types. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 165AM-2D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 4 cataloged varieties, C.W. Ellis was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165AM-2D