(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FP-11I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from F. Sheen of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FP-11I. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. The 16 cataloged varieties for F. Sheen indicate a notable level of token production. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 165FP-11I) is scarce for this merchant. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 16 cataloged varieties, F. Sheen was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FP-11I