(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165DY-12A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Jas. Murdock, Jr. 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. Jas. Murdock, Jr. produced 20 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. This copper striking (Fuld 165DY-12A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens.

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 20 cataloged varieties, Jas. Murdock, Jr. was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DY-12A