(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165DP-7d, Adam Metz OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Adam Metz of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165DP-7d. 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. The 15 cataloged varieties for Adam Metz indicate a notable level of token production. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165DP-7d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. 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 15 cataloged varieties, Adam Metz was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DP-7d