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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from J.G. Pleisteiner, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. 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. J.G. Pleisteiner issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165EL-2A) is common for this merchant. 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 Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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, J.G. Pleisteiner was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EL-2A