(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-580A-3A, MI

Coin Details

Description

W.R. Blaisdell, a Lowell merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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 2 known varieties, W.R. Blaisdell produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 580A-3A) 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 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 2 cataloged varieties, W.R. Blaisdell was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 580A-3A