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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Wm. B. Howe 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. Wm. B. Howe issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 225AP-2I) is scarce. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 6 cataloged varieties, Wm. B. Howe was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AP-2I