(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-140A-2E, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 140A-2E. New York was the nation's commercial capital, with New York City alone producing hundreds of store card varieties from Broadway retailers to waterfront wholesalers. Struck in white metal, this die combination (Fuld 140A-2E) 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. 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. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 6 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 140A-2E