(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630AG-3ao, John P. Gruber, Overstk on CWT NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$168 MS63BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of John P. Gruber, Overstk on CWT in New York. New York state generated the second-largest body of Civil War token issues, concentrated in New York City but extending to Albany, Troy, Buffalo, and smaller commercial centers. This piece is an overstrike struck over a host coin, an 1863 Indian Head cent. Traces of the original design may be visible beneath the new impressions. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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. Overstrike varieties are generally scarcer than tokens struck on blank planchets, as they required sourcing and re-striking existing coins. With 45 cataloged varieties, John P. Gruber, Overstk on CWT was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AG-3ao