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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from H. Avermaat of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165G-5A. 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 11 cataloged varieties for H. Avermaat indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 165G-5A) is common among the known varieties. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 11 cataloged varieties, H. Avermaat was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165G-5A