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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Randal's of Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225BG-3A. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. The 10 cataloged varieties for Randal's indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225BG-3A) is common. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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 10 cataloged varieties, Randal's was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BG-3A