(1861-65) Brass Civil War Store Card F-370B-1b, Courlander & Pressgood MI

Coin Details

Description

Courlander & Pressgood of Michigan produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 4 known varieties, Courlander & Pressgood produced a modest number of token types. This brass striking (Fuld 370B-1b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 4 cataloged varieties, Courlander & Pressgood was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 370B-1b