(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-280D-2B, MI

Coin Details

Description

Store card of John McKay in E.saginaw, Michigan, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Michigan was a significant industrial state during the Civil War, with Detroit emerging as a major manufacturing center and merchants across the state producing tokens. John McKay issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 280D-2B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 5 cataloged varieties, John McKay was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 280D-2B