(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165CY-39A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165CY-39A. 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. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165CY-39A) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 72 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165CY-39A