(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-640A-3I, KY

Coin Details

Description

J. Butcher's, based in Newport, Kentucky, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Kentucky was a critical border state maintaining Union loyalty while deeply divided. Louisville served as a major supply depot and source of merchant tokens. J. Butcher's issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 640A-3I) is scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 6 cataloged varieties, J. Butcher's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 640A-3I