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

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by C.J. Holthofer, 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. The 10 cataloged varieties for C.J. Holthofer indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225AO-3A) is common. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 10 cataloged varieties, C.J. Holthofer was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AO-3A