(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165GF-3D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165GF-3D. 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. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 165GF-3D) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. 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. 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 3 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165GF-3D