(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225AE-3A, MI

Coin Details

Description

F. Geis & Bro's of Michigan issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. F. Geis & Bro's issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 225AE-3A) is common among the known varieties. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 7 cataloged varieties, F. Geis & Bro's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AE-3A