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·Civil War and Sutler Tokens - Civil War tokens were issued by merchants and those wishing to proclaim a political message during the Civil War to make up for a lack of small change.  Metals were hoarded during the war.  Sutlers,  merchants who followed armies into battle, usually in horse-drawn wagons,   would sell them provisions not issued by the government; these sutlers  issued scrip to help with their transactions, again because small change was not available.

· Hard Times and merchant tokens -  The Hard Times period (about 1837-1845) in U.S. history was a time of great controversy over the use of paper money.  Satirical tokens (and paper) were issued to make fun of those who favored paper over metal coinage with  intrinsic value.   Merchant tokens usually refer to tokens issued after the Hard Times period, but before the Civil War, typically 1845-1860.  These are very popular with collectors because they are available in very high grades and reasonable prices.

· So-called dollars - These items, as the name implies, are tokens or medals that take the place of dollars, either because they have the value of a dollar or, more usually, because they are the size of a U.S silver dollar.  The series, most recently cataloged by Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen in a book published in 1963, cuts across many collecting classifications, for example, fairs and expositions, state commemoratives, mint openings Bryan money, and other related areas.  H&K numbers (referring to catalog authors) run from 1 to 1033, but many additional items are collected with the series, most frequently metal or die varieties not catalogued in 1963.

· Encased postage - Postage stamps were encased during the U.S. Civil War, in Europe during times of economic hardship to substitute for the lack of small change, and at other times, e.g., during the 1892 World Columbian Exposition, to provide a souvenir.  These items are avidly collected by both token and stamp collectors.

· Mint medals (19th and 20th century) -  Many mints throughout the world issue medals for various reasons.  Major issuers are the United States Mint and the Paris Mint.  It is common for mints to restrike popular medals until the original dies wear out and then, if interest is sufficient to make copy dies and continue to issue copy medals.  This practice can go on for hundreds of years.  Obviously, medals are valued by when they were struck and by the metal used for the strike.  It takes some practice to distinguish the time of issue if the metal is not changed.  For example, U.S. Mint medals struck in bronze during the mid-19th century usually have a rich brown color; in contrast, most 20th century medals have a yellow bronze color.  The Paris Mint marks the edge of many of its medals and the nature of the mark can usually be used to tell when the medal was struck.

· Colonial coinage and medals - Coins from countries other than the U.S. circulated widely in the U.S. during colonial times.  States, such as CT, NJ and MA, issued a wide variety of coins, also; these are collected by die variety and offer a rich area of numismatic history.  Medals associated with colonial times were cataloged in 1894 by  C. Wyllys Betts in a classic book, "American Colonial History Illustrated by Contemporary Medals."  These Betts Medals are very popular and widely collected.

· Counterstamps- Instead of having dies sunk and struck for their tokens, many merchants
preferred to simply stamp in a message on already circulating coins.  In most cases, the
name and address of the merchant appears on a single punch made for this purpose.  These manufactured punches leave a very characteristic constant incuse impression on every  coin, and so are usually held in higher value than counterstamps made by individual letter punches, since the latter could have been manufactured by anyone at any time.

· World tokens and medals - This wonderful area of collecting includes a wide range of
items including Notgeld (emergency money issued during times of monetary crisis), Conder tokens (18th Century British merchant tokens), WW1 Prisoner of War tokens, concentration camp money, communion tokens, tokens of 19th Century Canada, historical medals (issued by governments to commemorate important events such as winning a battle, opening a poor house or hospital), and many more.

· Swastika and KKK tokens -   Swastika tokens have nothing to do with Herr Hitler and his ill fated Third Reich.  The swastika is an ancient symbol of good luck adopted and promoted by advertising token salesmen during the first quarter of the 20th Century in the U.S.  The swastika is found together with other symbols of good luck in stock reverses on many merchant tokens and commemorative medals such as used to celebrate the 1932
Washington's birthday centennial.  KKK tokens relate to the Ku Klux Klan and its many
activities over the years.  Fake KKK tokens and other items abound; a tell-tale sign of a fake is a too uniform old patina in various earth colors.  Real tokens look just other tokens of the same period and can look brand new.  In general, any item of exonumia that looks aged and earthy should be suspect.

· Elongated and encased coins -  Elongated coins are coins usually pennies that have been put through a rolling machine which both elongates the coin and imparts an image from a die.  Typical elongated coins where those sold at world fairs and expos, such as the World Columbian Exposition of 1893.  Encased coins are coins that have been placed within an encasing frame usually made of aluminum and die struck with a merchant advertisement or to commemorate a fair or expo.  The frame holding the coins usually has good luck symbols on the reverse.

· Politicals - Tokens and medalets issued by candidates for elective office during the 18th and 19th Centuries, especially the presidential campaigns, are widely collected.  Many of these were pierced and worn as badges.  Most popular are those issued 1789-1892 since these were cataloged by J. Doyle DeWitt and updated in 1981 by Edmund H. Sullivan in his book, "American Political Badges and Medalets 1789-1892."

· Love tokens, especially ornate designs -  As the name implies, love tokens are coins that were modified by engraving a name or initial(s) of a loved one, and then served as a gift.  Most started with U.S. Seated dimes, but just about all coins throughout the world were used.  These are valued for their workmanship and metal value, for example, at equal workmanship, a gold coin love token is worth much more than one on silver or copper.  If in addition to initials, pictures are engraved or jewels are inlayed, these have much more value than the more common tokens that only have initials.

· Ferrotypes - Presidential candidates issued elaborate campaign buttons in the form of their picutres encased in brass bezels.  For example, for the presidential election of 1860, the candidates issued campaign tokens, but also, each pair had ferrotypes to offer; these had the presidential candidate on one side and the vice-presidential candidate on the other.  Lincoln/Hamlin, Douglas/Johnson, Bell/Everett, Breckinridge/Lane are all represented.

· Washingtonia and Columbiana -  All exonumia related to George Washington and Christopher Columbus is widely collected.  Actually, any famous individual can form a whole area of collecting in a similar fashion.  The exonumia  items frequently have a bust or other likeness of the famous person on them.  A common alternate portrayal of Washington is on horseback, and of Columbus is landing in America.  In addition to Washington and Columbus, for example, Abraham Lincoln exonumia is called Lincolniana and frequently collected by specialists.

· Expo and fair items - Just about every fair or exposition ever staged has issued some form of memorabilia.  This items may be tokens, medals, textiles, books, other paper ephemera, spoons, salt and pepper shakers, trays and other 3-dimensional objects, pinback badges and many other items.  For the tokens and medals there is much overlap with other classifications, e.g., so-called dollars and Columbiana.

· Magic tokens -  Many magicians issued tokens to advertise their shows. This items have always been popular but recently have undergone a substantial increase in collector interest.

· Transportation tokens, especially rarities -  Perhaps the most well known of all tokens, these are used on buses and subways for admission.  Older tokens show horse-drawn street cars (horsecars) or trolley cars.  Included in this area are bridge and ship passage tokens.  Non-metallic tokens (hard rubber or cello) usually bring high prices if found in nearly uncirculated condition because these have not survived as well as the metallic tokens and usually were rarer in the first place.

· Masonics and other fraternal items - Free Masons and dozens of other fraternal organizations have issued tokens and badges to commemorate events and individual lodges.  These are highly collectible.  A major sub-category is Masonic Pennies issued by most local Masonic groups.  Many of these are 19th Century items, usually made of copper and the size of a large cent.

· Commemorative and historical medals -  Medals have been issued throughout the ages by Kings, Queens, governments, societies, organizations and even individuals to get some message across (usually positive toward the issuer, but also negative or satirical to oppose or make fun of something or someone).  This medals can be be collected by topic, event, location, issuer, or in a more general classification such as satirical.
· All other exonumia
 

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 Last updated 04/19/07