(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630BS-2C, NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630BS-2C. 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 630BS-2C) is scarce for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Nickel tokens were produced in smaller quantities than the standard copper issues. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 4 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630BS-2C