(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165EW-4D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from B.J. Ricking, a Cincinnati, Ohio business. 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 B.J. Ricking indicate a notable level of token production. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165EW-4D) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 15 cataloged varieties, B.J. Ricking was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165EW-4D