(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165DY-4B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Jas. Murdock, Jr. in Cincinnati, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165DY-4B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 20 cataloged varieties, Jas. Murdock, Jr. was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DY-4B