Expert: PAPAJACK - 3/18/2009

Question
I have a coin from 1863 with an indian head on the one side
and on the other it has the following name and info GEO. GAGE, GROCER, 334 MAIN ST., BUFFALO. Do you have any idea if this coin is worth anything? Thank you for your time and
consideration.

Answer
Hello Michael,                    

These are known as “Store Card” Tokens.
It sounds like either HARD TIMES TOKEN or a Store card made as a cent for advertising and for replacing a cent in circulation.  

These stamped coins often have the address on them for the person who ordered them.
There were many different patterns of these made with the names of business's on them.

The tokens usually DID NOT have the word LIBERTY on the Indian, as you see, like the large cent did. And some do not depict allegorical images at all but have political mottos like FIRST IN WAR or OUR NAVY were very popular mottoes.

They were made leading up to and during the US Civil War. All of the hard money (Silver, Gold and Copper) was being hoarded by both sides, North and South.
Coins were hoarded to the point that none was available for daily transactions. This caused many businesses and associations political and otherwise to create their own small change so to speak.  The Store Card, usually with a store name and address on it, saying it is redeemable for 1 cent worth from the store was made as a token or using the Large Cent.  
Sometimes they were issued for very short periods.  
You did not say there were any other mottos or a denomination on the piece.   

Without seeing it there is no way to research it. The common ones sell from $6.00 to $14.00 dollars.

Feel free to ask another question about US Coins.

Good Luck

PapaJack

P.S.,
Yours token has a page mentioning it comparing the archeological value as a numismatic item at this link;
http://www.archive.org/stream/americanjournalo01ameruoft/americanjournalo01ameru...