(No Date) German-Silver Civil War Store Card F-260A-2j, Kelly's Store WV

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 260A-2j — store card of Kelly's Store, West Virginia. West Virginia separated from Virginia in 1863 to remain in the Union. Its merchants produced tokens to address the coin shortage in the newly formed state. Struck in german-silver, this die combination (Fuld 260A-2j) is scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. German silver pieces have a silvery-white color that distinguishes them from the more common copper and brass strikings. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 1 cataloged varieties, Kelly's Store was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 260A-2j