(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EM-4I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Chas. Plumb of Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. Chas. Plumb issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 165EM-4I) is scarce for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Fuld 165EM-4I