(1864) Civil War Store Card F-225AV-2a, Martin Bro's MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Martin Bro's, a Detroit, Michigan business. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. Martin Bro's issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 225AV-2a) is common among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Martin Bro's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AV-2a