(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-690D-7a, TN

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 690D-7a — store card of McKay & Lapsley, Overstk on OH Token, Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville fell to Union forces in February 1862 and served as a critical supply base for the remainder of the war. Merchant tokens from Nashville date to the Union occupation period. The 12 cataloged varieties for McKay & Lapsley, Overstk on OH Token indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 690D-7a) is common among the known varieties. 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. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 12 cataloged varieties, McKay & Lapsley, Overstk on OH Token was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 690D-7a