(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AS-2B, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$90 MS63 01-27-2024 eBay

Description

F. Fischer, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. F. Fischer issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 165AS-2B) is common to somewhat scarce. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 8 cataloged varieties, F. Fischer was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AS-2B