(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BC-2A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Perkins Hotel, a Detroit, Michigan business. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. Perkins Hotel issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 225BC-2A) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 6 cataloged varieties, Perkins Hotel was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BC-2A