(1861-65) Brass Civil War Store Card F-165BY-1b, Gilbert B. Hotchkiss OH

Coin Details

Description

Gilbert B. Hotchkiss of Ohio issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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 2 known varieties, Gilbert B. Hotchkiss produced a modest number of token types. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165BY-1b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 2 cataloged varieties, Gilbert B. Hotchkiss was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165BY-1b