(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225F-4B, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from L.W. Barie, a Detroit, Michigan business. 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. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 225F-4B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. 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. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 11 cataloged varieties, L.W. Barie was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225F-4B