(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-555A-6A, NJ

Coin Details

Description

J.L. Agens & Co, a Newark merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. New Jersey was a vital industrial and transportation state, with Newark, Trenton, and Paterson as major manufacturing centers where merchants issued Civil War tokens. The 18 cataloged varieties for J.L. Agens & Co indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 555A-6A) is common among the known varieties. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. 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.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 18 cataloged varieties, J.L. Agens & Co was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 555A-6A