(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165GY-24a, John Zeltner OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from John Zeltner of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165GY-24a. 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. John Zeltner produced 39 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165GY-24a) is common. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 39 cataloged varieties, John Zeltner was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GY-24a