(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BV-3B, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Yankee Smith's 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. Yankee Smith's issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 225BV-3B) is common to somewhat scarce. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. 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. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 8 cataloged varieties, Yankee Smith's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BV-3B