(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EB-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165EB-2A — store card of H. Niebuhr, 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. H. Niebuhr issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165EB-2A) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 7 cataloged varieties, H. Niebuhr was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EB-2A