(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-920D-3a, T. Dervin WI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by T. Dervin, operating in Watertown, 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. The 12 cataloged varieties for T. Dervin indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 920D-3a) is common. 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. 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 12 cataloged varieties, T. Dervin was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 920D-3a