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

Coin Details

Description

J & D. Metz, a Cincinnati merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 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. The 10 cataloged varieties for J & D. Metz indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165DQ-1A) is common for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage.

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 10 cataloged varieties, J & D. Metz was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DQ-1A