(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EV-12A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of A. Ricke in Cincinnati, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. A. Ricke produced 23 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165EV-12A) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 23 cataloged varieties, A. Ricke was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EV-12A