(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225S-1A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of C.L. Crosby, located in Detroit, Michigan. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. C.L. Crosby issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225S-1A) is common. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 6 cataloged varieties, C.L. Crosby was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225S-1A