(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AI-4D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of J.N. Doniphan, located 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. J.N. Doniphan issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165AI-4D) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 9 cataloged varieties, J.N. Doniphan was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AI-4D