(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-680A-1I, MI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by E.C. Morse, operating in Mussey, Michigan. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. E.C. Morse issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This zinc striking (Fuld 680A-1I) is scarce among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 5 cataloged varieties, E.C. Morse was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 680A-1I