(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-230B-7a, J. Durst OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from J. Durst, a Dayton, Ohio business. Dayton was a prosperous manufacturing city known for its agricultural machinery and paper production. The 11 cataloged varieties for J. Durst indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 230B-7a) is common. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. The Act of April 22, 1864 effectively ended private coinage by imposing penalties of up to five years imprisonment and a $2,000 fine for producing unauthorized coins or tokens. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 11 cataloged varieties, J. Durst was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 230B-7a