(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BD-2B, MI

Coin Details

Description

W. Perkins, Jr of Detroit issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. W. Perkins, Jr issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 225BD-2B) is common to somewhat scarce 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. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 8 cataloged varieties, W. Perkins, Jr was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BD-2B