(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-10A-4a, Benjamin & Herrick NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$65 MS62BN 09-02-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Benjamin & Herrick in New York. 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. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 10A-4a) is common. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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-4a