(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630AB-4a, A. Gavron. NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of A. Gavron. in New York. Amelia Gavron operated a sausage-making business at 213 Bowery and 102 Pitt Street in New York City. She is one of the very few female merchants known to have issued Civil War tokens, making her pieces especially significant. Her tokens read "A. GAVRON / SAUSAGES / FOR PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION / 1863" and were struck in copper-nickel. Most varieties are rated R-8 or higher, making Gavron's tokens among the rarest NYC store cards. This copper striking (Fuld 630AB-4a) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes.

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 41 cataloged varieties, A. Gavron. was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AB-4a