(1864) Silver Civil War Store Card F-700G-2f, City Fruit Store RI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$900 MS63 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from City Fruit Store of Providence, Rhode Island, cataloged as Fuld 700G-2f. 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. Struck in silver, this die combination (Fuld 700G-2f) is rare. 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. Silver examples were struck in small quantities, often for collectors or as special orders. 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

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. With 6 cataloged varieties, City Fruit Store was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 700G-2f