(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AJ-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from G. T. Dorland of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165AJ-3A. 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 12 cataloged varieties for G. T. Dorland indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165AJ-3A) is common. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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 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 12 cataloged varieties, G. T. Dorland was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AJ-3A