(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165GE-4B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Jacob Vogel of Cincinnati issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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. Jacob Vogel issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165GE-4B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 9 cataloged varieties, Jacob Vogel was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GE-4B