(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-225AE-2b, F. Geis & Bro's MI

Coin Details

Description

F. Geis & Bro's of Michigan produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Michigan was a significant industrial state during the Civil War, with Detroit emerging as a major manufacturing center and merchants across the state producing tokens. F. Geis & Bro's issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 225AE-2b) is common to somewhat scarce. 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. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, F. Geis & Bro's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AE-2b