(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EA-5I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of E. Myers & Co., located 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. E. Myers & Co. issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165EA-5I) is scarce. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 9 cataloged varieties, E. Myers & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EA-5I