(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165DW-5a, Morgan & Ferry OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Morgan & Ferry, operating 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. The 19 cataloged varieties for Morgan & Ferry indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 165DW-5a) is common. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 19 cataloged varieties, Morgan & Ferry was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165DW-5a