(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-700F-1a, H.Y. LeFevre RI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$456 MS64BN 11-20-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

Fuld 700F-1a — store card of H.Y. LeFevre, Providence, Rhode Island. Providence was an important manufacturing center, particularly in textiles and jewelry. The city's merchants issued Civil War tokens to maintain daily commerce. With 2 known varieties, H.Y. LeFevre produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 700F-1a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 2 cataloged varieties, H.Y. LeFevre was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 700F-1a