(1861-65) Civil War Store Card F-630BA-1a, G.M. Mittnacht's NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$55 MS63BN 07-04-2021 eBay

Description

Store card of G.M. Mittnacht's in New York, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. New York was the nation's commercial capital, with New York City alone producing hundreds of store card varieties from Broadway retailers to waterfront wholesalers. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 630BA-1a) is common. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Token issuers ranged from sole proprietors to large retail establishments, with some merchants ordering thousands of pieces while others had only a few hundred struck for local distribution. 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 3 cataloged varieties, G.M. Mittnacht's was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630BA-1a