(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630BB-12a, 399 B'Way NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$240 MS64BN 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Store card of 399 B'Way in New York, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 630BB-12a) is common for this merchant. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Token issuers ranged from sole proprietors to large retail establishments, with some merchants ordering thousands of pieces while others had only a few hundred struck for local distribution. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 81 cataloged varieties, 399 B'Way was one of the most prolific merchants in the series.

Cross References

Fuld 630BB-12a