(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225E-3D, MI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by G. Bamlet, operating in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. G. Bamlet issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 225E-3D) is somewhat scarce. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 7 cataloged varieties, G. Bamlet was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225E-3D