(1861-65) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-630BG-3e, John Quinn NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$240 MS62 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from John Quinn of New York, cataloged as Fuld 630BG-3e. 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. This white metal striking (Fuld 630BG-3e) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. White metal (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition. 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

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 31 cataloged varieties, John Quinn was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BG-3e