(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165GN-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Wine Steiner of Cincinnati issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. The 10 cataloged varieties for Wine Steiner indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165GN-3A) is common for this merchant. 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. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from 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 10 cataloged varieties, Wine Steiner was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GN-3A