(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EA-5A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165EA-5A — store card of E. Myers & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. Known as the "Queen of the West," Cincinnati served as a major Ohio River commercial hub. Its merchants produced hundreds of store card varieties during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. E. Myers & Co. issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165EA-5A) is common. 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 token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 9 cataloged varieties, E. Myers & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EA-5A