(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-115B-1a, Dunn & Co's MA

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Dunn & Co's of Massachusetts. Massachusetts was a center of manufacturing and abolitionist sentiment, with Boston and surrounding cities contributing Civil War tokens as emergency currency. Dunn & Co's issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 115B-1a) is common for this merchant. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Dunn & Co's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 115B-1a