(1876) White Metal Token Pa-Ph 750, John H. Server

Coin Details

Description

Issued by John H. Server during the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, this white metal token (Pa-Ph 750) advertises a general merchant operating from Philadelphia. A Philadelphia merchant who commissioned five Centennial token varieties spanning Pa-Ph 750-756, primarily in white metal with a notably scarcer Pa-Ph 756B brass variant. Pa-Ph 756B brass variant notably scarcer. Five varieties represent closely numbered die variants. The white metal composition made this the most economical version of this merchant's Centennial token. White metal tokens survive in the largest numbers because they were produced and distributed in enormous quantities. Lingg & Bro. handled the bulk of merchant token production for the 1876 Centennial from their Philadelphia establishment. America's first official World's Fair opened in Philadelphia on May 10, 1876, marking the hundredth anniversary of national independence with a showcase of industrial and cultural progress.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 750 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 750; PCGS #525266