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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by J. Schmidt of Detroit, Michigan. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. J. Schmidt issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 225BN-2A) is common 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. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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, J. Schmidt was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BN-2A