(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165BV-4A, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$106 MS62 01-11-2015 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War-era store card from V. Heyl, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. 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. V. Heyl produced 23 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165BV-4A) is common for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 23 cataloged varieties, V. Heyl was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BV-4A