(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165S-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

A. Bruggemann, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. With 2 known varieties, A. Bruggemann produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165S-1A) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 2 cataloged varieties, A. Bruggemann was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165S-1A