(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-115E-1B, MA

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Jos. H. Merriam in Boston, Massachusetts, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Massachusetts was a center of manufacturing and abolitionist sentiment, with Boston and surrounding cities contributing Civil War tokens as emergency currency. Jos. H. Merriam issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 115E-1B) is common to somewhat scarce. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. 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 6 cataloged varieties, Jos. H. Merriam was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 115E-1B