(1863) Civil War Store Card F-630AQ-1a, Lindenmueller NY

Coin Details

Description

Lindenmueller of New York issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Gustavus Lindenmueller operated The Odeon beer hall and theater (also known as the Deutsches Volks Theatre) in New York City. He had over one million tokens struck in 1863 — the largest known issue of any Civil War token merchant. His tokens were so widely accepted as streetcar fare that the Third Avenue Railroad accumulated thousands and demanded redemption; Lindenmueller refused, and the resulting complaint helped prompt Congress to pass the Act of April 22, 1864 banning private coinage. The most iconic Civil War token issuer. This copper striking (Fuld 630AQ-1a) is common among the known varieties. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 45 cataloged varieties, Lindenmueller was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AQ-1a