(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630AB-4C, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630AB-4C. New York state generated the second-largest body of Civil War token issues, concentrated in New York City but extending to Albany, Troy, Buffalo, and smaller commercial centers. This nickel striking (Fuld 630AB-4C) is scarce among the known varieties. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Nickel tokens were produced in smaller quantities than the standard copper issues. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 41 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AB-4C