(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-630BG-2b, Thin Plan John Quinn, Dbl Strk NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$132 MS62 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Thin Plan John Quinn, Dbl Strk of New York produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 630BG-2b) is common to somewhat scarce. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 31 cataloged varieties, Thin Plan John Quinn, Dbl Strk was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BG-2b