(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-225CS-4a, Henry Wolff MI

Coin Details

Description

Henry Wolff, based in Detroit, Michigan, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. With 4 known varieties, Henry Wolff produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225CS-4a) is common. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. 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

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 4 cataloged varieties, Henry Wolff was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 225CS-4a