(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225B-1A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by American Coffee Mills of 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. American Coffee Mills issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 225B-1A) is common for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. 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. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 9 cataloged varieties, American Coffee Mills was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225B-1A