(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225AU-3I, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225AU-3I. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 225AU-3I) is scarce. 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. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. 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 7 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225AU-3I