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

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by T.W. McDonald, operating in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. The 10 cataloged varieties for T.W. McDonald indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165DM-4I) is scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. 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. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 10 cataloged varieties, T.W. McDonald was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DM-4I