(1861-65) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-145A-1d, Bingham & Jarvis NY

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 145A-1d — store card of Bingham & Jarvis, New York. Bingham & Jarvis operated a drugstore in New York selling drugs, medicines, paints, and oils — a typical combination for 1860s apothecaries. Their tokens date from 1861, making them among the earliest Civil War merchant issues. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 145A-1d) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 21 cataloged varieties, Bingham & Jarvis was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 145A-1d