(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-40B-3a, Dean & Co. MI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Dean & Co. of Ann Arbor, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 40B-3a. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. The 17 cataloged varieties for Dean & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 40B-3a) is common. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. 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 17 cataloged varieties, Dean & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 40B-3a