(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EG-7D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of O'Donoghue & Naish, 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. The 12 cataloged varieties for O'Donoghue & Naish indicate a notable level of token production. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165EG-7D) is somewhat scarce 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. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 12 cataloged varieties, O'Donoghue & Naish was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EG-7D