(c.1863) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-630K-4e, GW-667 T. Brimelow-One Glass Soda NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,080 MS63 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

GW-667 T. Brimelow-One Glass Soda of New York issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. New York state generated the second-largest body of Civil War token issues, concentrated in New York City but extending to Albany, Troy, Buffalo, and smaller commercial centers. The white metal composition of this variety (Fuld 630K-4e) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. 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 (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition. 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 44 cataloged varieties, GW-667 T. Brimelow-One Glass Soda was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630K-4e