(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-450D-2b, Farnam's MI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Farnam's of Hillsdale, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 450D-2b. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 3 known varieties, Farnam's produced a modest number of token types. This brass striking (Fuld 450D-2b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 3 cataloged varieties, Farnam's was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 450D-2b