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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Commission of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165GJ-10I. 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. The 16 cataloged varieties for Commission indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165GJ-10I) is scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. 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, Commission was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GJ-10I