(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165GY-28A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by John Zeltner of Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. John Zeltner produced 39 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. This copper striking (Fuld 165GY-28A) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 39 cataloged varieties, John Zeltner was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165GY-28A