(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-225AO-6a, C.I. Holthofer MI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from C.J. Holthofer of Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225AO-6a. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. The 10 cataloged varieties for C.J. Holthofer indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 225AO-6a) is common 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. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 10 cataloged varieties, C.J. Holthofer was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AO-6a