(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630BP-1h, Hard Rubber S.H. Scripture NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Hard Rubber S.H. Scripture of New York. 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 lead striking (Fuld 630BP-1h) 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. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Lead examples are rare survivors, as the soft metal is easily damaged and many pieces were discarded. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Lead strikings are uncommon, likely produced as trial pieces or die tests rather than for commercial circulation. With 2 cataloged varieties, Hard Rubber S.H. Scripture was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630BP-1h