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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630BQ-1F. 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 silver composition of this variety (Fuld 630BQ-1F) is rare 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. The silver composition indicates a piece produced outside the normal commercial run, as a numismatic item. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. With 17 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630BQ-1F