(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FD-1B, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$120 AU55 09-02-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War store card from Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FD-1B. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165FD-1B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 1 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165FD-1B