(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630BG-6a, GW-596, John Quinn NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by GW-596, John Quinn of New York. John Quinn operated a grocery store at the corner of 26th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City. His tokens feature the patriotic reverse inscription "MONEY MAKES THE MARE GO — GO IT BUTTONS" with imagery of a man walking with coins spilling from a bindle. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 630BG-6a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 31 cataloged varieties, GW-596, John Quinn was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BG-6a