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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from /a Bi-Metallic Geo. Snooks, a Detroit, Michigan business. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. The 10 cataloged varieties for /a Bi-Metallic Geo. Snooks indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 225BW-1A) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 10 cataloged varieties, /a Bi-Metallic Geo. Snooks was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225BW-1A