(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-370B-2A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Courlander & Pressgood in 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. With 4 known varieties, Courlander & Pressgood produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 370B-2A) is common among the known varieties. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 4 cataloged varieties, Courlander & Pressgood was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 370B-2A