(1863) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-630BB-15e, GW-627 399 B'Way NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$480 MS66 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

GW-627 399 B'Way of New York issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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. The white metal composition of this variety (Fuld 630BB-15e) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. White metal (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 81 cataloged varieties, GW-627 399 B'Way was one of the most prolific merchants in the series.

Cross References

Fuld 630BB-15e