(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630AQ-6F, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630AQ-6F. 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. Struck in silver, this die combination (Fuld 630AQ-6F) is rare. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. 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. Silver examples were struck in small quantities, often for collectors or as special orders. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. With 45 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AQ-6F