(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FI-5A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from L. Schneider of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FI-5A. 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. The 12 cataloged varieties for L. Schneider indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 165FI-5A) is common among the known varieties. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 12 cataloged varieties, L. Schneider was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FI-5A