(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225BW-4A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by /a Bi-Metallic Geo. Snooks 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. 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-4A) is common for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. 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-4A