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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from R. Bathgate of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165J-4D. 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-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165J-4D) is somewhat scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 9 cataloged varieties, R. Bathgate was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165J-4D