(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BW-3A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from /a Bi-Metallic Geo. Snooks, a Detroit, Michigan business. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. The 10 cataloged varieties for /a Bi-Metallic Geo. Snooks indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 225BW-3A) is common among the known varieties. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes.

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-3A