(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165DS-3B, OH

Coin Details

Description

L. Meyer of Cincinnati issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War 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. L. Meyer issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165DS-3B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 8 cataloged varieties, L. Meyer was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DS-3B