(1863) Silver Civil War Store Card F-630ar-1fo, Charles Luhrs NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$5,040 MS66 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Charles Luhrs of New York issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. 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. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Silver examples were struck in small quantities, often for collectors or as special orders. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. Overstrike varieties are generally scarcer than tokens struck on blank planchets, as they required sourcing and re-striking existing coins. With 1 cataloged varieties, Charles Luhrs was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630ar-1fo