(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225Y-6D, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Detroit, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 225Y-6D. 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 copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 225Y-6D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 10 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 225Y-6D