(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BB-4A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Plated Geo. H. Parker, based in Detroit, Michigan, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. Plated Geo. H. Parker issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225BB-4A) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 7 cataloged varieties, Plated Geo. H. Parker was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BB-4A