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

Coin Details

Description

Store card of L.W. Barie in Detroit, Michigan, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. The 11 cataloged varieties for L.W. Barie indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 225F-2A) is common among the known varieties. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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

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 11 cataloged varieties, L.W. Barie was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225F-2A