(1876) Brass Token Pa-Ph 912B, J.W. Gilbert's

Coin Details

Auction Record

$192 MS64 04-12-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

J.W. Gilbert's issued this brass souvenir token (Pa-Ph 912B) as advertising during the 1876 Centennial. A Philadelphia establishment with four varieties in Pa-Ph 910-912. Pa-Ph 910-912 includes closely numbered variants. White metal variants most frequently encountered. Brass Centennial tokens were typically reserved for preferred customers or sold at a modest premium over white metal pieces, resulting in smaller surviving populations. Lingg & Bro. operated the largest Centennial token production facility in Philadelphia, serving merchants across the city. Memorial Hall, the Exposition's permanent art gallery, was the only major building designed to survive the fair and remains standing in Fairmount Park as a lasting architectural legacy of the Centennial. Spread across 285 acres of Fairmount Park, the Centennial featured 37 participating nations and tens of thousands of exhibits ranging from fine art to industrial machinery to agricultural innovations.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 912B in brass is a collectible Centennial merchant token. A Philadelphia establishment with four varieties in Pa-Ph 910-912. Most examples survive in VF to EF condition.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 912B; PCGS #903152