(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-10A-4B, Benjamin & Herrick NY

Coin Details

Description

Benjamin & Herrick of New York produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Benjamin & Herrick operated as fruit dealers at 427 Broadway in Albany. Their 1863 tokens feature the inscription "REDEEMED AT 427 BROADWAY 1863." The fruit trade was important in Albany due to the city's position as a distribution hub on the Hudson River and Erie Canal system. This brass striking (Fuld 10A-4B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 21 cataloged varieties, Benjamin & Herrick was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 10A-4B