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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from C.E. Clark's of Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165Y-1I. 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. The 11 cataloged varieties for C.E. Clark's indicate a notable level of token production. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 165Y-1I) is scarce for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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 11 cataloged varieties, C.E. Clark's was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165Y-1I