(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165BE-4B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Segars of Ohio issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. Segars issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 165BE-4B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, Segars was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BE-4B