(1861-65) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-805B-1d, Thos. Mickey OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Thos. Mickey in Shelby, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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, Thos. Mickey produced a modest number of token types. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 805B-1d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 3 cataloged varieties, Thos. Mickey was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 805B-1d