(1875) Token MT-196 Copper Professor King

Coin Details

Description

This copper magician's token from circa 1875 is cataloged as MT-196 and represents the copper variant of Professor King's promotional and performance token. The MT catalog assigns the same base number to tokens from the same dies regardless of the metal used, with the metal composition noted separately. Copper magician tokens were generally struck in smaller quantities than brass versions, making them scarcer survivors today. Professor King was among the many itinerant performers who traveled the American lecture and entertainment circuit during the Reconstruction era, bringing magic shows to towns and cities across the country. His copper token served multiple purposes: distributed to audience members as a souvenir, it reinforced the performer's name and helped build word-of-mouth advertising for future shows in the same area. The copper composition gives this piece a warmer, darker appearance than its brass counterpart. Magician tokens from the 1870s represent an early period in the MT catalog series, before the golden age of American stage magic in the 1890s-1920s when performers like Harry Kellar, Howard Thurston, and Harry Houdini would elevate the art to national prominence.

Rarity Notes

MT-196 in copper is scarcer than the brass version. Copper magician tokens from the 1870s are uncommon survivors from a period that predates the major era of American stage magic.

Cross References

PCGS #569935; MT-196; Professor King magician token, copper variant; see also PCGS #626661 (brass)