(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-165FY-3b, D.B.S. Grocer OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of D.B.S. Grocer, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. D.B.S. Grocer issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165FY-3b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, D.B.S. Grocer was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FY-3b