(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EQ-3B, OH

Coin Details

Description

H.A. Ratterman, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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 15 cataloged varieties for H.A. Ratterman indicate a notable level of token production. This brass striking (Fuld 165EQ-3B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper.

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-3B