(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225AP-2B, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Wm. B. Howe, located 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. Wm. B. Howe issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 225AP-2B) is common to somewhat scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. 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. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, Wm. B. Howe was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AP-2B