(1876) Brass Token Pa-Ph 496B, F.G. Williams & Co.

Coin Details

Auction Record

$216 MS65 04-12-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This brass Centennial token (Pa-Ph 496B) was issued by F.G. Williams & Co., a general merchant of Philadelphia. Philadelphia merchants with three varieties in Pa-Ph 496-497. Pa-Ph 496-497 represents compact advertising. Brass tokens featured a distinctive gold-like appearance that elevated them above copper and white metal pieces in the Centennial souvenir hierarchy. Centennial merchant tokens overwhelmingly bear the workmanship of the Lingg firm, whose die-sinking expertise made them the default manufacturer for Philadelphia businesses. The Centennial drew nearly ten million visitors to Philadelphia between May and November 1876, a figure that transformed the city's economy and created a booming market for portable souvenirs. 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.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 496B in brass is a collectible Centennial merchant token. Philadelphia merchants with three varieties in Pa-Ph 496-497. Most examples survive in VF to EF condition.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 496B; PCGS #903140