(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165J-5d, R. Bathgate OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of R. Bathgate, 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. R. Bathgate issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165J-5d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. 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.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 9 cataloged varieties, R. Bathgate was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165J-5d