1863 Gustavus Lindenmueller Beer Mug CWT Civil War Token Store Card New York NY NY-630AQ-4a. Sunday was the primary day of rest and recreation for the average working man, and therefore the appropriate time for him to spend time with friends and family in the beer halls. Unfortunately, the Sunday blue laws did not allow for such merriment in public places, and the sale of alcoholic beverages was specifically prohibited. In order to circumvent the law, some inventive German mind conceived of the “Sunday Sacred Concert” –the idea being that performances of sacred music should certainly be protected under the umbrella of freedom of religious expression, and if “sacramental” beer was consumed by participants looking to raise their spiritual consciousness to a higher level – well, perhaps no one in a position of authority would notice. And so it was, for the most part, though at times the police were known to shut a German establishment or two on a Sunday. One creative German beer hall operator, Gustavus Lindenmueller, owner of the Odeon and other establishments along the Bowery, attempted to ensure there would be no intrusions by the authorities by claiming to have established a new religion, the German Shaker Society. The police did not take kindly to this thinly veiled attempt to skirt their authority, and although they usually looked the other way when dealing with Sunday sacred concerts, Lindenmueller was eventually brought up on charges. This token may have various issues or problems including dings, scratches, cleaning, burnishing, holes, porous surfaces, etc.

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