(1863) Civil War Store Card F-630M-2a, Broas Pie Baker NY

Coin Details

Description

Broas Pie Baker of New York issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. The Broas family, led by James Ira Broas and his sons, operated a pie bakery at 131 41st Street in New York City. Their tokens carry patriotic reverses including "ONE COUNTRY" and "UNITED WE STAND." A large quantity was produced — far exceeding pie advertising needs — suggesting they circulated as general small change. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 630M-2a) is common for this merchant. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 40 cataloged varieties, Broas Pie Baker was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630M-2a