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

Coin Details

Description

Godfrey Dean & Co, based in Detroit, Michigan, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. As Michigan's commercial hub, Detroit generated more Civil War token varieties than any other city in the state, reflecting its diverse merchant community. The 10 cataloged varieties for Godfrey Dean & Co indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 225U-4B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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 10 cataloged varieties, Godfrey Dean & Co was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225U-4B