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

Coin Details

Description

H.W. Beeson of Detroit issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. H.W. Beeson issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 225H-3I) is scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 8 cataloged varieties, H.W. Beeson was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225H-3I