(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-700D-9a, H. Dobson RI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Arcade House, located in Providence, Rhode Island. Providence was an important manufacturing center, particularly in textiles and jewelry. The city's merchants issued Civil War tokens to maintain daily commerce. The 14 cataloged varieties for Arcade House indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 700D-9a) is common. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. 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 14 cataloged varieties, Arcade House was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 700D-9a