(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-630K-2b, T. Brimelow NY

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by T. Brimelow in 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. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 630K-2b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues. 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 44 cataloged varieties, T. Brimelow was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630K-2b