(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165G-6D, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$360 UNC Details 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from H. Avermaat of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165G-6D. 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 11 cataloged varieties for H. Avermaat indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165G-6D) is somewhat scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 11 cataloged varieties, H. Avermaat was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165G-6D