(1876) White Metal Token Pa-Ph 256, Lingg & Co. Mule w/Pa-Ph 258 Obv.

Coin Details

Auction Record

$120 UNC Details 05-10-2023 Stack's Bowers

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 Lingg & Co. die variant with alternate layout and text arrangement. 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. Among the available metal options, white metal provided the best value for merchants seeking maximum distribution, as its low cost enabled larger production runs. As historical artifacts, these tokens record the business names, locations, and trades of Philadelphia merchants during the Centennial year — information often absent from other surviving records.

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 #525249