(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-225AFa-2b, F. Geiss MI

Coin Details

Description

F. Geiss & Bro's, a Detroit merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. F. Geiss & Bro's issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 225AFa-2b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, F. Geiss & Bro's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AFa-2b