(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165DU-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by S-B- Monarch, operating in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. With 3 known varieties, S-B- Monarch produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165DU-2A) is common for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 3 cataloged varieties, S-B- Monarch was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165DU-2A