(1876) White Metal Token Pa-Ph 504, Wood's Museum

Coin Details

Description

Struck in white metal for the 1876 Centennial International Exposition, this token (Pa-Ph 504) was commissioned by Wood's Museum, museum and entertainment venue of Philadelphia. J.H. Wood's Museum was a popular Philadelphia dime museum displaying curiosities, wax figures, and live performances in the tradition of P.T. Barnum, competing directly with the Centennial for entertainment spending. Competed directly with the Centennial for entertainment spending. White metal formed the foundation of the Centennial token market, with copper, brass, and bronze pieces commanding progressively higher values both at issuance and in the modern collector market. Produced by Lingg & Bro., whose Philadelphia workshop turned out Centennial merchant tokens at an industrious pace throughout 1876. The standard reference for Centennial tokens uses the Rulau catalog, where tokens from different cities receive distinct prefixes (Pa-Ph, NY-NY, etc.) and each die/metal combination gets its own entry.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 504 in white metal is encountered with moderate frequency in the Centennial token market. Condition census runs from well-worn to occasional choice examples.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 504; PCGS #525257