(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EL-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

J.G. Pleisteiner, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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-3A) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. 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-3A