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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from City Hosiery of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165X-4D. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. City Hosiery issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165X-4D) is somewhat scarce. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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, City Hosiery was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165X-4D