(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165R-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Lew. Bowman, a Cincinnati merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 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. With 54 cataloged die varieties, Lew. Bowman was one of the most prolific token issuers in the series. This copper striking (Fuld 165R-2A) is common among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864.

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 54 cataloged varieties, Lew. Bowman was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165R-2A