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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from L.W. Barie, a Detroit, Michigan business. 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 11 cataloged varieties for L.W. Barie indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 225F-3A) 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. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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-3A