(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630AP-1B, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630AP-1B. 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. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 630AP-1B) is common to 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. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 66 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AP-1B