(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165DF-9A, OH

Coin Details

Description

H. Loewenstein, a Cincinnati merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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. The 14 cataloged varieties for H. Loewenstein indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165DF-9A) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864.

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 14 cataloged varieties, H. Loewenstein was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DF-9A