(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165GJ-7A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Commission of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165GJ-7A. 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. The 16 cataloged varieties for Commission indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165GJ-7A) is common for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 16 cataloged varieties, Commission was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GJ-7A