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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165CW-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. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165CW-6A) is common. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 17 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165CW-6A