(1867) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-750B-2e, M.B. Allebach PA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$216 UNC Details 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Store card of M.B. Allebach in Phila, Pennsylvania, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. With 2 known varieties, M.B. Allebach produced a modest number of token types. Struck in white metal, this die combination (Fuld 750B-2e) is somewhat scarce. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 2 cataloged varieties, M.B. Allebach was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 750B-2e