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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225CP-3I. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 225CP-3I) is scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 6 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225CP-3I