(1861-65) Brass Civil War Store Card F-165D-1b, Holed F.M. Ashton OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Holed F.M. Ashton in 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. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165D-1b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. 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 1 cataloged varieties, Holed F.M. Ashton was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165D-1b