In 1862, with the Civil War raging, coins were withdrawn from circulation in the northern states. Private die sinkers made the most of this coin shortage by making copper tokens for merchants. Some tokens had advertisements on them, others bore patriotic symbols or sentiments, and enough were designed to fool people into thinking that the coin they held in their palm was a real U.S. cent that the government banned the private minting of money in 1864.

Interviews & Articles

During the Civil War, Some People Got Rich Quick By Minting Their Own Money

When coins were withdrawn from circulation in the northern states during the Civil War, opportunists began minting private pennies… [more]

U.S. Pattern Coins Tell the Stories Behind Our Currency

I started collecting coins when I was five years old, and I started dealing when I was 13 or 14. Most kids start with coins of cir… [more]

War and Prosthetics: How Veterans Fought for the Perfect Artificial Limb

There's something undeniably beautiful about prosthetic limbs, designed to echo the physical grace and mechanical engineering of t… [more]



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Top eBay Auctions

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Truely Rare -louisville Ky " A. Weber/1 Pint " In Copper 510a-1a Ngc Ms-64 NrWooster Ohio 1863 Civil War Token Ngc Ms63 Rb Oh975c-1a R61864-l Indian Head Cent Strong Strike Full Diamonds Some Mint RedStone Mountain Confederate Memorial-1927 Living Veterans Roll-medalEncased Postage Stamp Ayers Sarsaparilla 1 Cent 1862 Gault Civil War Token EpsCivil War Vintage 25 Cent Sutler Trade Token1862 Phildelphia's Grandville Stokes " Fashionable Clothing " 750t-1b Ngc Ms-62 Memphis Tennessee John Breckinridge Civil War Token Tn600f-3a R8(1861-65) New York " J. J. Benson Sutler Token " S-a25c In Copper Ngc Xf NrScarce Wooster Ohio " Dealer In Groceries " 975c-3a Ngc Ms-63 No ReserveEncased Postage Ayer's Cathartic Pills 3 Cents Civil War Eps J.gault 1862 Encased Postage Stamp Take Ayers Pills 3 Cent 1862 Gault Civil War Token EpsGoes & Falk Brewery Beer Barrel Pictorial Milwaukee, Wi510m-1a Ngc Ms-61 Scm!Lots Of Mint Red Rare Bellaire Ohio " Ferry Ticket " 60a-1a Ngc Ms-63 Nr1837 "millions For Defense" Hard Times Token H1-37 Scarce High Grade No Reserve4th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Civil War Sutler Token E. W. Hamlin Oh F-5b R81860 Abraham Lincoln Presidents House Patriotic Civil War Token 507/510a B R8H. V. Keep Redeemable In Us Currency Civil War Sutler Token Nl L-5b R7Scarce Red/brown Lansing Michigan " Groceries & Provisions " 560a-2a Ngc Ms-63Nice Bronze Medal Awarded To Civil War Soldier By State Of West Virginia1863 Hussey's Special Message Post * Ny630ak-2a * R-3 * Choice Unc With Silver !1863 Civil War Token M.l. Marshall, Oswego NyWine Steiner Or Wine Bar Cincinnati, Oh165gn-5a Ngc Ms-62 Red Brown (r-4++) LvlyUndergraded New York " Safe " Company 630ba-1a Ngc Ms-63 (?) Red/brown No ReservF127/177j - R4 - Lincoln/first In War, First In Peace - Ngc Vf25 German Silver High Grade New York's " R. T. Kelly Hatter " 630an-1a Ngc Ms-65 No ReserveRacine Wisconsin 1863 Civil War Token Ngc Ms65 Bn Wi700d-2a54th Pennsylvania Volunteers Civil War Sutler Token J. A. Garman Pa I-10ba R5Mason Michigan Druggist Civil War Token Mi615a-1a R9 PhelpsFr. Freise Undertaker - Nyc - Ngcms64 Red Brown - Ny630z-1a R3 - Coffin TokenRare Brooklyn Indiana " Dry Goods/clothing " 135a-1a Ngc Au-50 No Reserve1863 Army & Navy Flag Of Our Union Patriotic Civil War Token Ngc Ms64 206/320 AScarce 1864 Civil War Token Lincoln Head / Ok Xf * Free Shipping *Lot #2 Has 4 Very Nice Patriotic Civil War TokensHigh Grade Philadelphia's" North Military Hall " 750m-1a Ngc Ms-65 Ex: Tanenbaum1867 Cedar River Bridge Co. Iowa - Pass One Footman TokenMilwaukee Wi510aq-1a Hermann Voight Stoves Ngc Au58bn R4(cc) Old Us Civil War Token 1863 "star Of David" Fantastic Coin!1863 Gerken & Ernst, Kenosha, Wisconsin Civil War Token1st New York Mounted Rifles Civil War Sutler Token J. J. Benson Ny A50wm R61863 John Schuh's Saloon Civil War Token 88 First Ave Ny L Roloff Signed CoinFt. Larned Ks & Ft Reno Ok Us Subsistence Department Eagle Token 1860Philadelphia Pa750l-1a Great Central Fair/washington Ngc Ms63bnHigh Grade 1863 20% Mint Red Cincinnati " Farmer's Hotel " 165bv-10a Ngc Ms-65Rare 1863 Pittsburgh Pa " News Dealer " 765q-9b Ngc Ms-62 No Reserve1863 Cincinnati Ohio " Hives & Bees " 165gb-1a Ngc Ms-64 No ReserveEncased Postage Burnett's Cocoaine 5-cents Vf, 1/3 Mica Noreserve BoscoUnion 1863 Civil War Token: "c" Eureka Good For 10 X 1864 Indian Head Cent Copper Nickel High Grade Golden Blazer1863 Cannon Labeled Union 1861 Patriotic Civil War Token 50/351 R3 Uncirculated1866 Indian Head Cent Strong Strike Lite Corrosion Xf Detail1863 Detroit Michigan " Tobacconist " 225y-1a Ngc Ms-61 No ReserveCivil War Storecard Rare 1331 Reverse Die John Sherer Tobacco Allegheny City PaUnsearched Wheat Penny Roll With Nice Civil War Token Store Card Showing!G.w. Geisendorff & Co. - Hoosier Woolen Factory, Indianapolis, Indiana Cwt1863 Our Navy Monitor Patriotic Civil War Token 240/337 AGorham Food Manufacturer Cleveland, Oh175h-2a Ngc Au-58 (r-4++) (f) Old Us Civil War Token 1863 "george Wahington" Fantastic Coin!Rare Antique Vintage 1878 Boyd's Battery Token Medical Device Medicine Pendant1863 Civil War Token Cwt Store Card Baltz & Stilz Philada Pa L@@k!!