(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630AQ-3a, Gustavus Lindenmueller NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$129 MS62BN 02-18-2023 eBay

Description

Civil War-era store card from Gustavus Lindenmueller of New York. 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-3a) is common among the known varieties. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes.

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, Gustavus Lindenmueller was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AQ-3a