(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-900A-2A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from I. Allen & Son of Schl.craft, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 900A-2A. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 3 known varieties, I. Allen & Son produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 900A-2A) is common among the known varieties. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. 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. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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, I. Allen & Son was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 900A-2A