(1863) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-230D-1e, Rickey's OH

Coin Details

Description

Rickey's Book Store, based in Dayton, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Dayton was a prosperous manufacturing city known for its agricultural machinery and paper production. With 2 known varieties, Rickey's Book Store produced a modest number of token types. The white metal composition of this variety (Fuld 230D-1e) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. 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. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

Rarity Notes

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 2 cataloged varieties, Rickey's Book Store was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 230D-1e