(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BQ-3I, MI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from John Seeley of Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225BQ-3I. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. John Seeley issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This zinc striking (Fuld 225BQ-3I) is scarce among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Fuld 225BQ-3I