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

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 225MA-3B — store card of Campbell & Calnon, 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. Campbell & Calnon issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 225MA-3B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, Campbell & Calnon was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225MA-3B