(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165DK-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Martin's of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165DK-1A. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. Martin's issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165DK-1A) is common among the known varieties. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 9 cataloged varieties, Martin's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DK-1A