(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-400E-2a, Geo. March

Coin Details

Description

Civil War token cataloged as Fuld 400E-2a, featuring the merchant Geo. March. This token bears no merchant identification; its dies were paired speculatively by die sinkers for sale to the general public rather than commissioned by a specific merchant. Copper was preferred for token production because its properties matched the federal cent specification closely enough that these pieces passed freely in commerce during 1862-1864. Bearing the date 1864. Congress outlawed private token production in April 1864, making late-dated pieces among the last Civil War tokens manufactured. Civil War tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 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. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many show heavy wear from 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 1 cataloged varieties, Geo. March was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 400E-2a