(No Date) Brass Civil War Store Card F-630L-3b, Broas Bros. NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Broas Bros. in New York. Broas Brothers Pie Bakers at 131 41st Street in New York City issued tokens under this name alongside the related "Broas Pie Baker" series. Together the Broas family produced nearly 30 die varieties, one of the most extensive series from any single New York merchant. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 630L-3b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. 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. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 42 cataloged varieties, Broas Bros. was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630L-3b