(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-165DE-1a, M. Lindermann OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$168 MS64 04-26-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

M. Lindermann of Cincinnati issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Cincinnati's position as a Union Army supply center and Ohio River trade hub made it a prolific source of Civil War tokens. John Stanton and other die sinkers based in the city produced dies for merchants across the Midwest. With 3 known varieties, M. Lindermann produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 165DE-1a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 3 cataloged varieties, M. Lindermann was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 165DE-1a