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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Henry Weber, located in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. The 12 cataloged varieties for Henry Weber indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 225CK-2A) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 12 cataloged varieties, Henry Weber was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225CK-2A