(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165EV-4a, A. Ricke OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of A. Ricke, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. A. Ricke produced 23 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. This copper striking (Fuld 165EV-4a) is common among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 23 cataloged varieties, A. Ricke was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EV-4a