(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-230B-1A, OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by J. Durst, operating in Dayton, Ohio. 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-1A) is common. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. 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 11 cataloged varieties, J. Durst was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 230B-1A