(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AP-5A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of E. Fielder's, 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. The 13 cataloged varieties for E. Fielder's indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165AP-5A) is common. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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-5A