(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-115A/530g, Plated Martha Washington

Coin Details

Description

Civil War token cataloged as Fuld 115A/530g, combining obverse die 115 — a bust of George Washington invoking the founding ideals of the republic — with reverse die 530 bearing a George Washington or Martha Washington portrait. Washington obverse dies connected the Union cause to the nation's founding. The first president's portrait reminded Northerners that the republic was worth fighting to preserve. Copper was preferred for token production because its properties matched the federal cent specification closely enough that these pieces passed freely in commerce during 1862-1864. No merchant name or location appears on this die combination. The Fuld catalog assigns such tokens to the Location Unknown section, recognizing them as patriotic issues rather than merchant-sponsored currency. Bearing the date range 1861-65, covering the years of the wartime coin shortage.

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 1 cataloged varieties, Plated Martha Washington was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 115A/530g