(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EM-6D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Chas. Plumb, 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. Chas. Plumb issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165EM-6D) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. 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. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. 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 9 cataloged varieties, Chas. Plumb was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EM-6D