(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-13B-3d, PA

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Pennsylvania, cataloged as Fuld 13B-3d. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 13B-3d) is somewhat scarce. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. 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. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 6 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 13B-3d