(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-630AQ-1d, Gustavus Lindenmueller NY

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Gustavus Lindenmueller of New York, cataloged as Fuld 630AQ-1d. 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. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 630AQ-1d) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 45 cataloged varieties, Gustavus Lindenmueller was a substantial producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 630AQ-1d