(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-200A-4a, Dunn & COs MA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$870 MS63RB 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War store card issued by Dunn & COs of Charlestwn, Massachusetts. Massachusetts was a center of manufacturing and abolitionist sentiment, with Boston and surrounding cities contributing Civil War tokens as emergency currency. Dunn & COs issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 200A-4a) is common among the known varieties. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Some token dies were used so extensively that late strikes show significant die wear, providing collectors with a chronological sequence of the production run from fresh to deteriorated states. 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 5 cataloged varieties, Dunn & COs was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 200A-4a