(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EQ-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of H.A. Ratterman in Cincinnati, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. The 15 cataloged varieties for H.A. Ratterman indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165EQ-2A) is common. 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. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 15 cataloged varieties, H.A. Ratterman was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EQ-2A