(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-165DK-4b, Martin's OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Martin's of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165DK-4b. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. Martin's issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165DK-4b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 9 cataloged varieties, Martin's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DK-4b