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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225W-3I. Detroit's growing industrial economy made it a significant source of Civil War tokens, with merchants across the city issuing pieces to maintain commerce. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 225W-3I) is scarce for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. 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. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 7 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225W-3I