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

Coin Details

Description

H.A. Ratterman, a Cincinnati merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Cincinnati was the largest inland city in antebellum America and a critical supply center for the Union Army, driving Ohio to produce more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state. The 15 cataloged varieties for H.A. Ratterman indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 165EQ-2B) is common to somewhat scarce. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 15 cataloged varieties, H.A. Ratterman was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EQ-2B