(1864) German-Silver Civil War Store Card F-700D-4j, H. Dobson RI

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 700D-4j — store card of Arcade House, 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. The 14 cataloged varieties for Arcade House indicate a notable level of token production. The german-silver composition of this variety (Fuld 700D-4j) is 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. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The German silver alloy gives these tokens an attractive appearance that has made them popular with collectors. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

German silver (a copper-nickel-zinc alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and are sought after for their distinctive silvery appearance. With 14 cataloged varieties, Arcade House was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 700D-4j