(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-890E-4b, Robinson & Ballou NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Robinson & Ballou 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. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 890E-4b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 15 cataloged varieties, Robinson & Ballou was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 890E-4b