(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FI-7A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from L. Schneider of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FI-7A. Known as the "Queen of the West," Cincinnati served as a major Ohio River commercial hub. Its merchants produced hundreds of store card varieties during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The 12 cataloged varieties for L. Schneider indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165FI-7A) is common. 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. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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-7A