(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-630AB-5b, A. Gavron NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$144 MS63 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

This Civil War token was issued by A. Gavron in New York. Amelia Gavron operated a sausage-making business at 213 Bowery and 102 Pitt Street in New York City. She is one of the very few female merchants known to have issued Civil War tokens. Her pieces are among the rarest NYC store cards, with most varieties rated R-8 or higher. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 630AB-5b) is common to somewhat scarce. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 41 cataloged varieties, A. Gavron was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AB-5b