(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AX-1D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165AX-1D — store card of James Foster Jr. & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. James Foster Jr. & Co. issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 165AX-1D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. 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. 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 5 cataloged varieties, James Foster Jr. & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AX-1D