(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165BA-3B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by John Galvagni of 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. John Galvagni issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165BA-3B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 9 cataloged varieties, John Galvagni was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BA-3B