(1861-65) Silver Civil War Store Card F-845A-1f, D. Skidmore NY

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by D. Skidmore in New York. 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 silver, this die combination (Fuld 845A-1f) is rare. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The silver composition indicates a piece produced outside the normal commercial run, as a numismatic item. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce. Civil War store cards remain among the most collected categories of American numismatic exonumia.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. With 5 cataloged varieties, D. Skidmore was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 845A-1f