1864 Concord NH S. G. Sylvester 3 Cents Scrip - Uppercase Three Type - Rare Civil War Era New Hampshire Obsolete Three Cent Store Note

This listing is for the photographed 1864 Concord NH S. G. Sylvester 3 Cents Obsolete Merchant Scrip Note. This note was issued on January 1st, 1864, for the store of S. G. Sylvester in Concord, New Hampshire. This note has a red underprint of the word "THREE" in uppercase letters, differing from the lowercase variant. Issued and signed, adding to the notes value. Fine (F) grade/condition, visible folds and other signs of circulation. Rarity level 5 (R5) according to LaFond's catalogue on New Hampshire Merchant Scrip. Great rarer find with an incredibly interesting history!

In the United States during the 1860s, the issuance of merchant scrip became widespread as a practical response to severe coin shortages caused by the Civil War. As gold and silver coins disappeared from circulation local merchants and businesses began printing their own small denomination notes to facilitate everyday transactions. This “scrip” functioned as a substitute for official currency, acting much like modern-day store credit, allowing customers to buy goods or make change when federal money was scarce. Though unofficial and often limited in where it could be spent, merchant scrip helped keep local economies functioning until a stable supply of national currency returned later in the decade.

Silas G. Sylvester opened a store in 1842, selling crockery, glass, stoneware, room paper, window shades, picture frames, and manufactured mirrors. The business failed by the 1949 recession because of Sylvesters unpaid debts. By the next year his debts were repaid, and he had reopened his business. In 1854 he partnered with Edmund Eastman to run the store, the partnership lasted through 1856 when they parted ways, but Sylvester kept the business running. In 1866 he sold the business to Samuel Blood. After selling the business Sylvester moved to New Jersey and opened a new crockery store there in 1869.

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1864 Concord NH S. G. Sylvester 3 Cents Scrip - Uppercase Three Type - Rare Civil War Era New Hampshire Obsolete Three Cent Store Note