(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630BQ-1C, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630BQ-1C. 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 nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 630BQ-1C) is scarce for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Nickel tokens were produced in smaller quantities than the standard copper issues. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 17 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BQ-1C