(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165FM-7a, Wm. Senour OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Wm. Senour, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. 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 12 cataloged varieties for Wm. Senour indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165FM-7a) is common for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. 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 12 cataloged varieties, Wm. Senour was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FM-7a