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

Coin Details

Description

Godfrey Dean & Co of Detroit issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Detroit was Michigan's largest city and a major manufacturing center, producing stoves, railroad equipment, and industrial goods for the Northern war effort. The 10 cataloged varieties for Godfrey Dean & Co indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 225U-3A) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. 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. 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 10 cataloged varieties, Godfrey Dean & Co was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225U-3A