(1863) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-115D-1e, Merriam & Co. MA

Coin Details

Description

Merriam & Co. of Boston issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Massachusetts was a center of manufacturing and abolitionist sentiment, with Boston and surrounding cities contributing Civil War tokens as emergency currency. With 4 known varieties, Merriam & Co. produced a modest number of token types. The white metal composition of this variety (Fuld 115D-1e) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy. 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

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 4 cataloged varieties, Merriam & Co. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 115D-1e