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

Coin Details

Description

E.B. Smith, a Detroit merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. E.B. Smith issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225BS-2A) is common. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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, E.B. Smith was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BS-2A