(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-700B-1j, RH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from the Fuld 700B-1j series, attributed to the unidentified issuer "RH." Assigned to the Fuld 700 "RH" series, a large group of Civil War store cards whose issuer remains unidentified. The scope of the series — spanning many die pairings and metal variants — points to a professional token manufacturer rather than an individual retail merchant. Struck in German silver (a copper-nickel-zinc alloy containing no actual silver), a scarce composition that produces a bright silvery appearance. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Civil War tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 1864. Die sinkers in major cities competed fiercely for merchant orders, offering stock reverses that could be paired with custom obverse dies featuring the merchant's name and business information. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many show heavy wear from commerce.

Rarity Notes

German silver (a copper-nickel-zinc alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and are sought after for their distinctive silvery appearance. With 15 cataloged varieties, RH was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 700B-1j