(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-527A-1a, C.C. Blakeslee MI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by C.C. Blakeslee, operating in Jonesville, Michigan. Michigan was a significant industrial state during the Civil War, with Detroit emerging as a major manufacturing center and merchants across the state producing tokens. With 2 known varieties, C.C. Blakeslee produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 527A-1a) 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. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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 2 cataloged varieties, C.C. Blakeslee was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 527A-1a