As the Civil War began, demand increased for Hammacher & Tollner's specialty hardware, with the company supplying Northern manufacturers with hard-to-get tools and hardware for the war effort.
As the War continued, New York City faced a severe coin shortage resulting from the hoarding of both gold and silver. In response, the U.S. Government allowed merchants to mint their own coins to exchange during the war - much like in-store coupons are used today. Called "rebellion tokens" or "copperheads," these coins were made out of copper, brass, copper nickel or lead. Hammacher's tokens, of course, were the best quality available - copper. As the war drew to a close, the Government put a stop to the practice, yet few of the tokens ever found their way back to the place of issue to be redeemed for merchandise.
The American Civil War, or the War Between the States, begins in April of 1861, when forces of the newly formed Confederate States attack the U.S. military base at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. The war, the deadliest and also one of the most influential in American history - it ended slavery, restored the Union and strengthened the role of the Federal government - lasted until April of 1865.
