(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-225AE-6a, F. Geis & Bro's MI

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 225AE-6a — store card of F. Geis & Bro's, Michigan. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. F. Geis & Bro's issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 225AE-6a) is common among the known varieties. 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. Some token dies were used so extensively that late strikes show significant die wear, providing collectors with a chronological sequence of the production run from fresh to deteriorated states. 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 7 cataloged varieties, F. Geis & Bro's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AE-6a