1858 Token Miller Ky-25 Copper H. Miller & Co.

Coin Details

Description

H. Miller & Co. were die sinkers and token manufacturers in Louisville, Kentucky — not a retail merchant but a maker of tokens and dies for other businesses. The firm produced stock dies used by various merchants, making them a regional counterpart to the better-known die sinkers of New York and Philadelphia such as the Lovett family and Scovill Manufacturing. Their copper token (Miller Ky-25) served as a calling card for their die-sinking services. Louisville's position as the largest city on the Ohio River made it a natural center for metalworking and commercial services during the antebellum period. 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 Ky-25 in the standard reference for American merchant tokens. The dies for merchant tokens were typically cut by professional engravers, though some frontier examples show more primitive workmanship.

Rarity Notes

Copper striking, the standard metal for merchant tokens of this period. Miller Ky-25.

Cross References

Miller Ky-25