(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-NL-21a

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card cataloged as Fuld NL-21a in the Location Unknown section. This token carries an "NL" (Not Listed) Fuld designation, placing it outside the standard catalog framework. Not Listed tokens are often later discoveries that expand collectors' understanding of the scope of Civil War-era token production. Produced in copper, the dominant metal of Civil War token production. Copper tokens survive in greater numbers than any other composition, reflecting their enormous production volumes. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Private tokens filled the currency vacuum created when Americans hoarded federal coins after the suspension of specie payments in December 1861. Civil War tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 1864. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many show heavy wear from commerce.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 1 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld NL-21a