(1862) Copper Civil War Store Card F-370D-3a, Goodrich & Gay MI

Coin Details

Description

Goodrich & Gay, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Grand Rapids was a growing commercial center in western Michigan, famous for its furniture manufacturing and lumber industry. Goodrich & Gay issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 370D-3a) is common for this merchant. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 7 cataloged varieties, Goodrich & Gay was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 370D-3a