(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-370A-2E, KY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Kentucky, cataloged as Fuld 370A-2E. Kentucky was a critical border state maintaining Union loyalty while deeply divided. Louisville served as a major supply depot and source of merchant tokens. Struck in white metal, this die combination (Fuld 370A-2E) is somewhat scarce. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. White metal (a tin-based alloy) pieces are scarcer than copper and often show significant wear from their soft composition. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 2 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 370A-2E