(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FA-2C, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$85 MS62 09-02-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War store card from Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FA-2C. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. Struck in nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165FA-2C) is scarce. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Nickel strikings are scarcer than copper or brass versions and have a distinctive silvery appearance. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 8 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FA-2C