(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630BB-10C, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630BB-10C. 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 630BB-10C) is scarce among the known varieties. 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. 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 81 cataloged varieties, this merchant was one of the most prolific merchants in the series.

Cross References

Fuld 630BB-10C