(1876) Brass Token Pa-Ph 986B, G. Kilbride

Coin Details

Description

Issued by G. Kilbride during the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, this brass token (Pa-Ph 986B) advertises a general merchant operating from Philadelphia. An Irish-American Philadelphia merchant with three varieties near the end of the Philadelphia white-metal series (Pa-Ph 980-982). Pa-Ph 980-982 near end of the Philadelphia white-metal series. The brass composition gave this token an attractive golden appearance, distinguishing it from the more commonly encountered white metal and copper versions of this merchant's series. The Lingg brothers ran the most productive die-sinking shop in Centennial-era Philadelphia, cutting custom advertising dies for merchants across multiple trades. Philadelphia's population effectively doubled during the Centennial's run, as nearly ten million visitors created a souvenir market that merchant tokens were perfectly positioned to serve.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 986B in brass is encountered with moderate frequency in the Centennial token market. Condition census runs from well-worn to occasional choice examples.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 986B; PCGS #876372