(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-370D-3B, MI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$168 MS61BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War-era store card from Goodrich & Gay, a Grand Rapids, Michigan business. Grand Rapids was a growing commercial center in western Michigan, famous for its furniture manufacturing and lumber industry. Goodrich & Gay issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 370D-3B) 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. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 7 cataloged varieties, Goodrich & Gay was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 370D-3B