(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165W-8d, Cin. & Cov. OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Cin. & Cov., operating 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. The 12 cataloged varieties for Cin. & Cov. indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165W-8d) is somewhat scarce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 12 cataloged varieties, Cin. & Cov. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165W-8d