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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FA-2E. 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. This white metal striking (Fuld 165FA-2E) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. 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. White metal (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition. 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

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 8 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FA-2E