No Date Token F-690D-6j German-Silver RE McKay & Lapsley TN

Coin Details

Description

This undated Civil War era store card, cataloged as Fuld 690D-6j, is a German silver reverse edition token issued by McKay & Lapsley of Tennessee. The German silver composition — an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc — gave this token a distinctive silvery appearance that set it apart from the more common copper and brass issues. McKay & Lapsley were Tennessee merchants operating during the tumultuous Civil War years when the state was divided between Union and Confederate sympathies and was the site of major military campaigns. The "RE" designation indicates a store card reverse die rather than a patriotic die, meaning both sides of this token carry commercial or merchant-related imagery rather than patriotic slogans. Tennessee store cards are less common than those from Northern states, as the Confederacy-aligned portions of the state had less access to the Northern die-sinkers who produced most Civil War tokens.

Rarity Notes

Civil War store card, Fuld 690D-6j. German silver reverse edition. McKay & Lapsley, TN. Unusual composition for a Tennessee issue. Scarce.

Cross References

PCGS #649631; Fuld 690D-6j; McKay & Lapsley, TN