(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-630BO-2b, Edwd. Schulze's NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$230 MS64 04-29-2024 eBay

Description

Civil War store card issued by Edwd. Schulze's of 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 brass, this die combination (Fuld 630BO-2b) is common to somewhat scarce. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 8 cataloged varieties, Edwd. Schulze's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BO-2b