(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BI-2I, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225BI-2I. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 225BI-2I) is scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 8 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BI-2I