(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165GB-9I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from E. Townley of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165GB-9I. 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. The 16 cataloged varieties for E. Townley indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165GB-9I) is scarce. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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, E. Townley was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GB-9I