(1863) Zinc Civil War Store Card F-225AH-3i, C.B. Goodrich MI

Coin Details

Description

C.B. Goodrich of Detroit issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. C.B. Goodrich issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 225AH-3i) is scarce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 9 cataloged varieties, C.B. Goodrich was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AH-3i