(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-920D-1A, MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Tecumseh, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 920D-1A. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. This copper striking (Fuld 920D-1A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 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, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 920D-1A