(1863) German-Silver Civil War Store Card F-95D-5j, T. Ivory NY

Coin Details

Description

Store card of T. Ivory in New York, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. T. Ivory operated a billiard saloon at the corner of Fulton and Orange Streets in Brooklyn. His tokens feature a bust of George Washington on the reverse inscribed "THE WASHINGTON TOKEN. 1863." One variety was struck over an 1857 Seated Liberty Dime, with traces of the original coin still visible — making overstrike varieties especially prized among specialists. The german-silver composition of this variety (Fuld 95D-5j) is scarce for this merchant. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. German silver pieces have a silvery-white color that distinguishes them from the more common copper and brass strikings.

Rarity Notes

German silver (a copper-nickel-zinc alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and are sought after for their distinctive silvery appearance. With 27 cataloged varieties, T. Ivory was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 95D-5j