(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165GJ-10B, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Commission, 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. The 16 cataloged varieties for Commission indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 165GJ-10B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. 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 16 cataloged varieties, Commission was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GJ-10B