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Trending: 150th Anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg Makes Numismatics of the Era HOT HOT HOT!

Missed Opportunity?

Call it what you will, with the upending focus on one of the bloodiest events in U.S. history, any Civil War related item is selling for many times more than what they were this same time last year.  While there are scores of speculators who dwelve into this specific period in history regularly, there are the late bloomers who only feel the need to pick up any civil war period (1861-1865) items because of the nationwide stories, press releases, and multi-generational interests surrounding its 150th anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg.  And then they come to find out that they are spending at the minimum 2x the money for even the most worn out Indian Head Cent.  What I've come to find out in the recent weeks, especially as of this writing where we are in the heart of the 152nd anniversary of the onset of the war, any famous confederate 1861-O half dollar strikes are commanding nearly double the money, and more lower graded pieces are reaching for 3x the money in a setting like EBay.  Which is a crazy proposition considering that as we move on from the historic milestone, that coins such as the 61-O will slowly move back to 2012 prices.  So let's examine a few popular series of numismatics that are steaming hot movers for the 152nd summer of Civil War love:

1861-1865 Seated Liberty Coinage

One of the most popular collectibles regarding the Civil War era, the forementioned date range of the seated coinage are hot pickups at any time of the year.  Most collectors can obtain modest condition seated dimes and half dimes for less than $50.  Grab a New Orleans minted half with the diagnostic die cracks for authentic confederate flavor, these dies were reused and retooled by confederate minded individuals to keep striking these wonderful coins as newly prepped dies were simply not available.  The right die pairings equal big bucks in the series.

1861-1865 Indian Head Cents

The range of dates signifies a funky time in the making of the earlier small cents.  Not only were the coins white because of the copper and nickel mix, but they were thick in size.  I would say larger in thickness than your household nickel of today.  During 1864, a slick add in of Mr. Longacre's intial made it's way in the form of a letter "L" on the ribbon.  And the white metal combination was ditched in favor of the more recognizable 95% copper/5% zinc formulation.  Prices are still reasonable for most dates short of a 64-L or high mint state example.

Lots of problem free examples are available and are quite attractive.

Civil War Tokens & Store Cards

What you may not have known is that regular circulating coinage during the civil war were heavily hoarded.  With failed attempts of replacing the hoarded coins with paper currency, merchants decided to take matters into their own hands by producing their own form of "money" in the way of store cards and tokens.  Very affordable and plentiful for the armchair Civil War enthusiast, they provide a wide array of designs from many states.  There are store cards from rare vendors such as die sinkers and funeral parlors that are the strongest sellers in the list.  While patriotics and general store cards are among the most affordable and widely available.  Truly a series for all budgets!

And that concludes the brief market summary of the Civil War era collectibles.  What most should understand, is that it's not only a "right now" specific event where collectors should invest in this popular subject.  But should look at it in the aspect of a continuously driven market where these little guys will only appreciate in the years to come.  If you thought the 150th anniversary of the Civil War is crazy, just wait until the magnanimous 200th anniversary...now there shouldn't be any question in the validity of this tenuous era.