(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-700H-4a, D.H. Jones WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of D.H. Jones, located in Racine, Wisconsin. 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 4 known varieties, D.H. Jones produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 700H-4a) is common. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 4 cataloged varieties, D.H. Jones was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 700H-4a