(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630AP-3A, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630AP-3A. 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. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 630AP-3A) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. 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

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 66 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AP-3A