(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FN-8A, OH

Coin Details

Description

W. Mendal Shafer of Cincinnati issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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 14 cataloged varieties for W. Mendal Shafer indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165FN-8A) is common. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 14 cataloged varieties, W. Mendal Shafer was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FN-8A