(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630BG-2a, John Quinn NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of John Quinn in New York. John Quinn operated a grocery store at the corner of 26th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City. His tokens feature the patriotic reverse inscription "MONEY MAKES THE MARE GO — GO IT BUTTONS" with imagery of a man walking with coins spilling from a bindle. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 630BG-2a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. 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. With 31 cataloged varieties, John Quinn was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BG-2a