(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-220A-2E, NJ

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from John Engel of Elizabeth, New Jersey, cataloged as Fuld 220A-2E. New Jersey was a vital industrial and transportation state, with Newark, Trenton, and Paterson as major manufacturing centers where merchants issued Civil War tokens. John Engel issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This white metal striking (Fuld 220A-2E) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. White metal (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition.

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 5 cataloged varieties, John Engel was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 220A-2E