(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FW-3I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from H. Stalkamp of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FW-3I. 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. H. Stalkamp issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165FW-3I) is scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. 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. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 8 cataloged varieties, H. Stalkamp was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FW-3I