(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165J-3A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from R. Bathgate of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165J-3A. 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. R. Bathgate issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 165J-3A) is common among the known varieties. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 9 cataloged varieties, R. Bathgate was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165J-3A