(1851-53) Token Miller LA-15, N.C. Folger

Coin Details

Description

N.C. Folger was a New Orleans merchant who issued multiple token varieties (Miller LA-10 through LA-15) in copper, brass, and gilt brass over a period of several years. New Orleans was the largest city in the antebellum South and a major port handling cotton, sugar, and goods from the Mississippi River trade. Folger's sustained token production indicates an established business with a commitment to token advertising. Struck in copper, this token matched the federal large cent in appearance and weight, making it immediately recognizable to the public. Copper remained the dominant planchet choice for merchant tokens throughout the antebellum and Civil War periods. Cataloged as Miller LA-15 in the standard reference for American merchant tokens. Merchant store cards from this period served dual purposes: as advertising for the issuing business and as practical small change during periods when federal coinage was scarce or inconvenient. Tokens of this type are collected both as numismatic objects and as historical documents of 19th century American business.

Rarity Notes

Copper striking, the standard metal for merchant tokens of this period. Miller LA-15. Folger issued 4 known token varieties.

Cross References

Miller LA-15