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

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Hamman & Co, operating in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. Hamman & Co issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 225AI-3A) is common for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 6 cataloged varieties, Hamman & Co was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AI-3A