(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165X-2I, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of City Hosiery, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. 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. City Hosiery issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 165X-2I) is scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 9 cataloged varieties, City Hosiery was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165X-2I