(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165BD-4d, Ni W. Gentsch OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$552 MS64 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from Ni W. Gentsch of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165BD-4d. 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. Ni W. Gentsch issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165BD-4d) is common among the known varieties. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 8 cataloged varieties, Ni W. Gentsch was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BD-4d