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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Hamman & Co of 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-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 225AI-3D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 6 cataloged varieties, Hamman & Co was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AI-3D