(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165AJ-6A, OH

Coin Details

Description

G. T. Dorland, a Cincinnati merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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 12 cataloged varieties for G. T. Dorland indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165AJ-6A) is common for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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-6A