(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-480A-1a, J.L. Keiningham KY

Coin Details

Description

Store card of J.L. Keiningham in Lexington, Kentucky, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Kentucky was a critical border state maintaining Union loyalty while deeply divided. Louisville served as a major supply depot and source of merchant tokens. This copper striking (Fuld 480A-1a) is common among the known varieties. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. The federal government's response to the coin shortage included issuing fractional currency in denominations as small as three cents, but these paper notes wore out quickly and were unpopular with merchants. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 1 cataloged varieties, J.L. Keiningham was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 480A-1a