Description

Iceland Keflavík KCOM 25 Cent Token – Commissioned Officers’ Mess (Brass)

This brass token, denominated at 25 cents, is a historical military canteen or officers’ mess piece from Keflavík (Keflavik), Iceland. The obverse reads “KCOM KEFLAVIK ICELAND” around the rim with “25” boldly centered, while the reverse appears to mirror similar text. The token is struck in brass, showing typical patina, minor scratches, and age-appropriate toning consistent with mid-20th-century military use.

KCOM stands for Keflavík Commissioned Officers’ Mess (or similar abbreviation like Keflavik Commissary Officers Mess), tied to the U.S. military presence at Naval Air Station Keflavík (now Keflavík International Airport). Established during World War II and expanded in the Cold War era (U.S. forces stationed there from 1941–2006 under NATO agreements), these tokens were used as trade scrip or canteen currency in officers’ clubs, exchanges, or messes—valid only on base, often forbidden for use outside (similar to other Armed Forces tokens from the era).

A scarce piece of Icelandic-American military history from the Keflavík base era, popular among collectors of exonumia (tokens), military tokens, Iceland-related militaria, or Cold War ephemera. Not an official Icelandic coin but a fascinating local issue from the base’s heyday.