(1864) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-700D-1e, H. Dobson RI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Arcade House, located in 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. This white metal striking (Fuld 700D-1e) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 14 cataloged varieties, Arcade House was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 700D-1e