(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630M-13a, GW-663, Broas Brothers NY

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 630M-13a — store card of GW-663, Broas Brothers, New York. Broas Brothers Pie Bakers at 131 41st Street in New York City issued tokens under this name alongside the related "Broas Pie Baker" series. Together the Broas family produced nearly 30 die varieties, one of the most extensive series from any single New York merchant. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 630M-13a) is common. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 40 cataloged varieties, GW-663, Broas Brothers was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630M-13a