(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FT-4A, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$105 MS64BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War-era store card from S&L Smith, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. 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 S&L Smith indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165FT-4A) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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, S&L Smith was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FT-4A