(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165N-32d, Dr. Bennett's OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Dr. Bennett's, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Known as the "Queen of the West," Cincinnati served as a major Ohio River commercial hub. Its merchants produced hundreds of store card varieties during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Dr. Bennett's produced 36 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 165N-32d) is 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. 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 36 cataloged varieties, Dr. Bennett's was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165N-32d