(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AP-6A, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$212 MS65 02-14-2016 Heritage Auctions

Description

Merchant token from E. Fielder's of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165AP-6A. 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. The 13 cataloged varieties for E. Fielder's indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 165AP-6A) is common among the known varieties. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce.

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-6A