(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-150B-4d, Cov. & Cin. KY

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Cov. & Cin. of Covington, Kentucky, cataloged as Fuld 150B-4d. Kentucky was a critical border state maintaining Union loyalty while deeply divided. Louisville served as a major supply depot and source of merchant tokens. With 2 known varieties, Cov. & Cin. produced a modest number of token types. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 150B-4d) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 2 cataloged varieties, Cov. & Cin. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150B-4d