(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-735B-2b, M.L. Stewart MI

Coin Details

Description

M.L. Stewart, based in Owosso, 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. With 3 known varieties, M.L. Stewart produced a modest number of token types. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 735B-2b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Fuld 735B-2b