(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225AJA-2I, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225AJA-2I. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. This zinc striking (Fuld 225AJA-2I) is scarce 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. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 4 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 225AJA-2I