(1876) Brass Token Pritchard EM130-1000a, Empire City Mine Fantasy Gold Eagle

Coin Details

Description

This brass token () was issued as a souvenir of the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial International Exposition. This piece circulated among the nearly ten million visitors who attended the Exposition at Fairmount Park from May 10 to November 10, 1876. Struck in brass (a copper-zinc alloy), a premium composition for Centennial tokens. The golden color made brass pieces stand out among the more common white metal and copper tokens. Lingg & Bro. supplied the majority of Centennial advertising tokens from their centrally located Philadelphia shop. The Centennial token series provides an invaluable record of Philadelphia's merchant community in 1876, preserving business names and advertising messages that no other source documents so completely. The Centennial transformed Philadelphia's retail landscape in 1876, bringing foot traffic and revenue to merchants who had never experienced anything approaching the volume of business the Exposition generated.

Rarity Notes

in brass is a collectible Centennial token. Availability depends on the specific die combination and metal composition.

Cross References

Pritchard EM130; PCGS #543301