(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-40B-2A, MI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$264 MS66BN 04-10-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Dean & Co., operating in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 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. The 17 cataloged varieties for Dean & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 40B-2A) is common for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 17 cataloged varieties, Dean & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 40B-2A