(1860-65) Brass Civil War Store Card F-725B-1b, D. Kreps OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by D. Kreps of Ohio. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. With 3 known varieties, D. Kreps produced a modest number of token types. This brass striking (Fuld 725B-1b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 3 cataloged varieties, D. Kreps was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 725B-1b