(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-587A-2A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Bauder & Button, located in Lyons, 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. With 3 known varieties, Bauder & Button produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 587A-2A) is common. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 3 cataloged varieties, Bauder & Button was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 587A-2A