(1863) Civil War Store Card F-630BV-4a, Story & Southworth NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Story & Southworth of New York. Story & Southworth operated a grocery store in New York City. While some original wartime varieties are scarce (R-6, with only 21-76 estimated survivors), the series is notable because post-war producers Emil Sigel and Edward Groh later created over 100 additional die combinations using the original obverse die, requiring careful distinction between wartime originals and post-war restrikes. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 630BV-4a) is common for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 111 cataloged varieties, Story & Southworth was one of the most prolific merchants in the series.

Cross References

Fuld 630BV-4a