(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165FX-13I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165FX-13I — store card of John Stanton, Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. With 47 cataloged die varieties, John Stanton was one of the most prolific token issuers in the series. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 165FX-13I) is scarce for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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 47 cataloged varieties, John Stanton was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165FX-13I