(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225CL-2I, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225CL-2I. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. This zinc striking (Fuld 225CL-2I) is scarce among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 5 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225CL-2I