(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165ER-10A, OH

Coin Details

Description

John Ravy, 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 17 cataloged varieties for John Ravy indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165ER-10A) is common for this merchant. 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. 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 17 cataloged varieties, John Ravy was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165ER-10A