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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Wm. Tell, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. Wm. Tell issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165GA-3I) is scarce. 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. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. 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 7 cataloged varieties, Wm. Tell was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GA-3I