(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165H-1F, OH

Coin Details

Description

Store card of S. Bacciocco in Cincinnati, Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. With 4 known varieties, S. Bacciocco produced a modest number of token types. The silver composition of this variety (Fuld 165H-1F) is rare for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced as presentation or collector pieces.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. With 4 cataloged varieties, S. Bacciocco was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165H-1F