(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FB-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Elis Rouse's, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. With 2 known varieties, Elis Rouse's produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 165FB-1A) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 2 cataloged varieties, Elis Rouse's was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165FB-1A