(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-480B-3a, John W. Lee KY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$660 MS65BN 04-12-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from John W. Lee of Lexington, Kentucky, cataloged as Fuld 480B-3a. 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. This copper striking (Fuld 480B-3a) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. 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 18 cataloged varieties, John W. Lee was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 480B-3a