(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-230B-3D, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by J. Durst of 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. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 230B-3D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 11 cataloged varieties, J. Durst was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 230B-3D