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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from E. Fielder's of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165AP-2A. 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. The 13 cataloged varieties for E. Fielder's indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165AP-2A) is common. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. 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 13 cataloged varieties, E. Fielder's was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AP-2A