(No Date) White Metal Civil War Store Card F-845A-1e, D. Skidmore NY

Coin Details

Description

D. Skidmore of New York issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. New York was the nation's commercial capital, with New York City alone producing hundreds of store card varieties from Broadway retailers to waterfront wholesalers. Struck in white metal, this die combination (Fuld 845A-1e) is somewhat scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy. 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

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 5 cataloged varieties, D. Skidmore was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 845A-1e