(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165EW-4a, B.J. Ricking OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from B.J. Ricking of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165EW-4a. 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. The 15 cataloged varieties for B.J. Ricking indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165EW-4a) is common. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 15 cataloged varieties, B.J. Ricking was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EW-4a