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

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165BW-4I — store card of Dr. H.H. Hill & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. Dr. H.H. Hill & Co. issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This zinc striking (Fuld 165BW-4I) is scarce among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. 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 9 cataloged varieties, Dr. H.H. Hill & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165BW-4I