(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165J-4A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 165J-4A — store card of R. Bathgate, Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. R. Bathgate issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165J-4A) is common. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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-4A