(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-480B-6B, KY

Coin Details

Description

Store card of John W. Lee 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. The 18 cataloged varieties for John W. Lee indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 480B-6B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 18 cataloged varieties, John W. Lee was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 480B-6B