(No Date) Brass Civil War Store Card F-225AD-2b, Woodward & Jefferson MI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Woodward & Jefferson in 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, Woodward & Jefferson produced a modest number of token types. This brass striking (Fuld 225AD-2b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 2 cataloged varieties, Woodward & Jefferson was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 225AD-2b