(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AJ-4I, OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by G. T. Dorland, operating in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. The 12 cataloged varieties for G. T. Dorland indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165AJ-4I) is scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. 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. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 12 cataloged varieties, G. T. Dorland was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165AJ-4I