(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-630L-4E, NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$192 MS64 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War store card from New York, cataloged as Fuld 630L-4E. 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 white metal composition of this variety (Fuld 630L-4E) is somewhat 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. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. White metal (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 42 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630L-4E