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

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Henry Weber, operating in 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 12 cataloged varieties for Henry Weber indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225CK-4A) is common. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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 12 cataloged varieties, Henry Weber was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225CK-4A