(1876) White Metal Token Pa-Ph 776, Jas. Thornton

Coin Details

Description

Issued by Jas. Thornton during the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, this white metal token (Pa-Ph 776) advertises a general merchant operating from Philadelphia. James Thornton, a Philadelphia merchant with four distinct die varieties spanning Pa-Ph 774-778. Jas. abbreviation standard 19th-century convention. 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. Merchants who issued Centennial tokens gained a portable advertising medium that visitors would carry home to cities across the nation, extending the token's promotional reach far beyond Philadelphia.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 776 in white metal is a collectible Centennial merchant token. James Thornton, a Philadelphia merchant with four distinct die varieties spanning Pa-Ph 774-778. Most examples survive in VF to EF condition.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 776; PCGS #600241