(1863) Civil War Store Card F-225BC-1a, Perkins Hotel MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Perkins Hotel of Detroit, Michigan. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. Perkins Hotel issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225BC-1a) is common. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 6 cataloged varieties, Perkins Hotel was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BC-1a