(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-225BB-4d, Geo. H. Parker MI
Strike Type
Coin Details
Description
Fuld 225BB-4d — store card of Plated Geo. H. Parker, Detroit, Michigan. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. Plated Geo. H. Parker issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 225BB-4d) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.
Rarity Notes
Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 7 cataloged varieties, Plated Geo. H. Parker was a minor token issuer.
Cross References
Fuld 225BB-4d
External References
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