(1861-65) Brass Civil War Store Card F-630BQ-1b, PH.J. Seiter's NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$114 MS64 08-14-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War-era store card from PH.J. Seiter's of New York. New York state generated the second-largest body of Civil War token issues, concentrated in New York City but extending to Albany, Troy, Buffalo, and smaller commercial centers. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 630BQ-1b) is common to somewhat scarce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 17 cataloged varieties, PH.J. Seiter's was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BQ-1b