(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165Z-10D, OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$840 MS65 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War store card from Cincinnati, Ohio, cataloged as Fuld 165Z-10D. 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. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 165Z-10D) is somewhat scarce. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 14 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165Z-10D