(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-260A-1B, MA

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Billiard Room & Restaurant, operating in Fall River, Massachusetts. Massachusetts was a center of manufacturing and abolitionist sentiment, with Boston and surrounding cities contributing Civil War tokens as emergency currency. The 10 cataloged varieties for Billiard Room & Restaurant indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 260A-1B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 10 cataloged varieties, Billiard Room & Restaurant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 260A-1B