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

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Yankee Smith's of Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225BV-2A. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. Yankee Smith's issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225BV-2A) is common. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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, Yankee Smith's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BV-2A