(1876) White Metal Token Pa-Ph 256, Lingg & Co. Mule w/Pa-Ph 231 Obv.

Coin Details

Description

This mule variety (Pa-Ph 256) in white metal results from the deliberate combination of the Lingg & Co. alternate trade name die used on later token issues with the Centennial commemorative die with Independence Hall facade. Lingg & Bro., the Centennial's principal token manufacturer, created these mule combinations by intentionally pairing dies from different token series. Mule tokens are generally scarcer than the standard merchant tokens from which their dies originated. White metal production costs were a fraction of those for copper or brass, allowing merchants to spread their advertising budgets across greater quantities of tokens. The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 marked the first time the United States hosted an official World's Fair, using the occasion to display a century of national achievement.

Rarity Notes

As a die mule, Pa-Ph 256 in white metal is inherently scarcer than standard single-issuer tokens. These cross-die combinations were created as collector novelties by Lingg & Bro.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 256; PCGS #533298