(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165BM-1D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Harpel of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165BM-1D. 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. Harpel issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165BM-1D) is somewhat scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 8 cataloged varieties, Harpel was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BM-1D