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

Coin Details

Description

Dr. H.H. Hill & Co., based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. Dr. H.H. Hill & Co. issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 165BW-4B) is common to somewhat scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 9 cataloged varieties, Dr. H.H. Hill & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BW-4B