(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BP-1A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from H.A. Sealy of Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225BP-1A. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. H.A. Sealy issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 225BP-1A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 8 cataloged varieties, H.A. Sealy was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BP-1A