(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-140A-1a, C. Dahmen & Son WI

Coin Details

Description

C. Dahmen & Son, based in Crossplain, Wisconsin, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Wisconsin was a growing frontier state with Milwaukee as its largest commercial center, and its merchants issued tokens as practical solutions to the coin shortage. With 2 known varieties, C. Dahmen & Son produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 140A-1a) is common among the known varieties. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 2 cataloged varieties, C. Dahmen & Son was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 140A-1a