(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630A-1D, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630A-1D. 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. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 630A-1D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 7 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630A-1D