(1860) Token Miller Mass-4 Copper Hess & Speidel

Coin Details

Description

Hess & Speidel operated the Apollo Gardens, a beer garden at 576 Washington Street in Boston. Beer gardens were a popular social institution imported by German immigrants, combining outdoor dining, music, and the consumption of lager beer. Their copper token (Miller Mass-4) served as an admission check or trade token for the establishment. The Apollo Gardens was part of the German-American cultural landscape that transformed Boston's entertainment scene in the mid-nineteenth century, as German immigrants introduced lager beer, beer gardens, and continental dining to a city previously dominated by English-style taverns. The copper planchet gave this token an appearance closely resembling contemporary United States cents, facilitating its acceptance in daily commerce. Copper merchant tokens of this type circulated widely as advertising pieces and emergency small change. Cataloged as Miller Mass-4 in the standard reference for American merchant tokens.

Rarity Notes

Copper striking, the standard metal for merchant tokens of this period. Miller Mass-4.

Cross References

Miller Mass-4