(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225AC-2A, MI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by L.S. Freeman, operating in Detroit, Michigan. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. L.S. Freeman issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 225AC-2A) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 9 cataloged varieties, L.S. Freeman was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AC-2A