(c.1850) Token Miller Ky-7 Copper Sandford Duncan

Coin Details

Description

Sandford Duncan was an importer and wholesaler of silks and fancy dress goods at 474 Main Street in Louisville, Kentucky. Duncan served as a primary distributor of imported textiles for the Ohio Valley region, connecting Louisville's merchants with European silk manufacturers. His copper and brass tokens (Miller Ky-7 and Ky-9) advertised his importing business. Louisville was the largest city in the border state of Kentucky, strategically positioned along the Ohio River as a commercial bridge between the industrial North and the agricultural South. Struck in copper, this token matched the federal large cent in appearance and weight, making it immediately recognizable to the public. Copper remained the dominant planchet choice for merchant tokens throughout the antebellum and Civil War periods. Cataloged as Miller Ky-7 in the standard reference for American merchant tokens. Tokens of this type are collected both as numismatic objects and as historical documents of 19th century American business.

Rarity Notes

Copper striking, the standard metal for merchant tokens of this period. Miller Ky-7. Sandford Duncan issued 2 known token varieties.

Cross References

Miller Ky-7