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

Coin Details

Description

Dean & Co. of Ann Arbor issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. The 17 cataloged varieties for Dean & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 40B-2B) is common to somewhat scarce. 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. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Brass strikings are among the more available variants, though less common than copper. 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

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 17 cataloged varieties, Dean & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 40B-2B