(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-77A-3a, Langdons Hardware Store NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$144 MS64BN 04-12-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from Langdons Hardware Store of New York, cataloged as Fuld 77A-3a. New York was the nation's commercial capital, with New York City alone producing hundreds of store card varieties from Broadway retailers to waterfront wholesalers. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 77A-3a) is common. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The Act of April 22, 1864 effectively ended private coinage by imposing penalties of up to five years imprisonment and a $2,000 fine for producing unauthorized coins or tokens. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 3 cataloged varieties, Langdons Hardware Store was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 77A-3a