(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630BQ-3C, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630BQ-3C. 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 630BQ-3C) is scarce among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Pure nickel pieces are harder to strike than copper, contributing to their relative scarcity. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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-3C