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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from D.B.S. Grocer of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165FY-4D. 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. D.B.S. Grocer issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165FY-4D) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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 7 cataloged varieties, D.B.S. Grocer was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165FY-4D