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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from H. Niebuhr of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165EB-5A. 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. H. Niebuhr issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165EB-5A) is common for this merchant. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens.

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-5A