(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-510A/512a, Presidents House

Coin Details

Description

Civil War token cataloged as Fuld 510A/512a, combining obverse die 510 — a portrait of Stephen A. Douglas, the 1860 Northern Democratic candidate — with reverse die 512 bearing a design depicting the President's House (White House). The 1860 political campaign die series includes portraits of all four presidential candidates: Lincoln, Douglas, Bell, and Breckinridge. These Benjamin True products from Cincinnati include pro-Southern designs paradoxically among the most prized by collectors. 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. This token lacks the merchant identification found on most Civil War store cards. Its placement in the Fuld Location Unknown section reflects the purely patriotic or political nature of its die combination. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage.

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, Presidents House was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 510A/512a