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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of American Coffee Mills, 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. American Coffee Mills issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 225B-3B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 9 cataloged varieties, American Coffee Mills was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225B-3B