When coins were withdrawn from circulation in the northern states during the Civil War, opportunists began minting private pennies that became de facto legal tender throughout the Union. The coinage of a few cents may seem like small change, but in 1863 alone, almost 9,000 different token designs, depicting everything from patriotic flags to beer barrels, were struck. Some so closely resembled real cents that the government banned private mints in 1864.
Coin collector Ken Bauer, who is a member of the Civil War Token Society, spoke to Collectors Weekly about his almost lifelong interest in Civil War tokens, as well as the website he recently built to help new enthusiasts amass their own collections.
(thanks Ben)
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