(1863) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-115C-1e, Excelsior MA

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Excelsior of Boston, Massachusetts, cataloged as Fuld 115C-1e. Massachusetts was a center of manufacturing and abolitionist sentiment, with Boston and surrounding cities contributing Civil War tokens as emergency currency. This white metal striking (Fuld 115C-1e) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. 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. White metal (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 1 cataloged varieties, Excelsior was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 115C-1e