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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Lew. Bowman of 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. With 54 cataloged die varieties, Lew. Bowman was one of the most prolific token issuers in the series. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 165R-1I) is scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 54 cataloged varieties, Lew. Bowman was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165R-1I