(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165BD-3I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Ni W. Gentsch of 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. Ni W. Gentsch issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165BD-3I) is scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. 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 8 cataloged varieties, Ni W. Gentsch was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BD-3I