(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165BJ-13A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Carl Haas, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. Carl Haas produced 33 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. This copper striking (Fuld 165BJ-13A) 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. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 33 cataloged varieties, Carl Haas was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BJ-13A