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

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165EG-2A — store card of O'Donoghue & Naish, Cincinnati, Ohio. 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 12 cataloged varieties for O'Donoghue & Naish indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 165EG-2A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. 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 12 cataloged varieties, O'Donoghue & Naish was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EG-2A