(1876) Brass Token Pa-Ph 488A, Whitman & Son

Coin Details

Description

This brass Centennial token (Pa-Ph 488A) was issued by Whitman & Son, a confectioners and merchants of Philadelphia. Philadelphia merchants associated with confectionery and chocolate, with five varieties spanning Pa-Ph 488-494. Pa-Ph 488-494 encompasses brass and white metal. Whitman name later synonymous with coin collecting. Brass tokens featured a distinctive gold-like appearance that elevated them above copper and white metal pieces in the Centennial souvenir hierarchy. Manufactured by the Lingg firm, the dominant producer of merchant tokens during the 1876 Centennial season. Merchants who issued Centennial tokens gained a portable advertising medium that visitors would carry home to cities across the nation, extending the token's promotional reach far beyond Philadelphia. Centennial merchant tokens function as miniature time capsules, recording the names, products, and advertising claims of Philadelphia businesses that left few other traces in the historical record.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 488A in brass is a collectible Centennial merchant token. Philadelphia merchants associated with confectionery and chocolate, with five varieties spanning Pa-Ph 488-494. Most examples survive in VF to EF condition.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 488A; PCGS #596788