(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-630L-5b, Broas Bros. NY

Coin Details

Description

Broas Bros. of New York issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Broas Brothers Pie Bakers at 131 41st Street in New York City issued tokens under this name alongside the related "Broas Pie Baker" series. Together the Broas family produced nearly 30 die varieties, one of the most extensive series from any single New York merchant. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 630L-5b) 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. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 42 cataloged varieties, Broas Bros. was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630L-5b