(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-165DQ-5d, J&D. Metz OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from J & D. Metz of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165DQ-5d. 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 10 cataloged varieties for J & D. Metz indicate a notable level of token production. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165DQ-5d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 10 cataloged varieties, J & D. Metz was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DQ-5d