(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-10A-1a, Benjamin & Herrick NY

Coin Details

Description

Benjamin & Herrick of New York produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Benjamin & Herrick operated as fruit dealers at 427 Broadway in Albany. Their 1863 tokens feature the inscription "REDEEMED AT 427 BROADWAY 1863." The fruit trade was important in Albany due to the city's position as a distribution hub on the Hudson River and Erie Canal system. This copper striking (Fuld 10A-1a) is common among the known varieties. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 21 cataloged varieties, Benjamin & Herrick was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 10A-1a