(1876) Brass Token Pritchard EM130-500a, Empire City Mine Fantasy Gold Half 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. produced tokens for more Centennial merchants than any other die-sinking firm in the region. 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. Token varieties ranged from inexpensive white metal pieces distributed freely to visitors, through mid-range copper and brass issues, to rare silver presentation pieces for collectors.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Pritchard EM130; PCGS #543300