(1864) Civil War Store Card F-700G-2a, Weybosse RI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$264 MS66BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War-era store card from City Fruit Store, a Providence, Rhode Island business. Providence was an important manufacturing center, particularly in textiles and jewelry. The city's merchants issued Civil War tokens to maintain daily commerce. City Fruit Store issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 700G-2a) is common for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 6 cataloged varieties, City Fruit Store was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 700G-2a