(1876) White Metal Token Pa-Ph 756, John H. Server

Coin Details

Description

This white metal Centennial token (Pa-Ph 756) was issued by John H. Server, a general merchant of 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. Produced in white metal, reflecting the composition that accounts for the majority of surviving Centennial merchant tokens. The low production cost of white metal meant merchants could hand out tokens without concern for unit economics, treating them as disposable advertising. Dies were cut at the Lingg brothers' Philadelphia workshop, where the firm had developed efficient production methods for the high volume of merchant token orders. Philadelphia's 1876 Centennial was the nation's inaugural World's Fair, conceived as both a patriotic celebration of independence and a demonstration of American industrial capability.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 756 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 756; PCGS #917494