(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FN-9A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165FN-9A — store card of W. Mendal Shafer, Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. The 14 cataloged varieties for W. Mendal Shafer indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 165FN-9A) is common among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. 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 14 cataloged varieties, W. Mendal Shafer was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FN-9A