(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225CO-3I, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225CO-3I. 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 zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 225CO-3I) is scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 225CO-3I