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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by N'PT & COV of Newport, Kentucky. Kentucky was a critical border state maintaining Union loyalty while deeply divided. Louisville served as a major supply depot and source of merchant tokens. N'PT & COV issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 640B-3B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, N'PT & COV was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 640B-3B