(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-100A-2B, ME

Coin Details

Description

R.S. Torrey of Bangor issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Maine was a solidly Unionist state, but its relatively isolated location resulted in very few Civil War store card issues. With 3 known varieties, R.S. Torrey produced a modest number of token types. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 100A-2B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 3 cataloged varieties, R.S. Torrey was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 100A-2B