(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EW-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from B.J. Ricking, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. 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 B.J. Ricking indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165EW-1A) is common for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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, B.J. Ricking was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EW-1A