(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EL-4A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from J.G. Pleisteiner, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. J.G. Pleisteiner issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165EL-4A) is common for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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-4A