(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-225N-4a, Campbell Linn & Co. MI

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 225N-4a — store card of Campbell. Linn & Co., 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 4 known varieties, Campbell. Linn & Co. produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 225N-4a) is common. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. 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 4 cataloged varieties, Campbell. Linn & Co. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 225N-4a