(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-160D-1B, MI

Coin Details

Description

C.J. Piper of Michigan issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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.J. Piper produced a modest number of token types. This brass striking (Fuld 160D-1B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Fuld 160D-1B