(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165BT-5A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of B. Hempelman, located in 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. The 19 cataloged varieties for B. Hempelman indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165BT-5A) is common. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 19 cataloged varieties, B. Hempelman was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BT-5A