(1876) White Metal Token Pa-Ph 888, I.L. Cragin & Co.

Coin Details

Description

This white metal Centennial token (Pa-Ph 888) was issued by I.L. Cragin & Co., a merchants of Philadelphia. Philadelphia merchants with three varieties spanning Pa-Ph 880-888, a wide catalog range suggesting multiple production batches. Pa-Ph 880-888 spans nine catalog numbers. White metal pieces sat at the base of the Centennial souvenir pyramid, above only paper ephemera in affordability and below copper, brass, and the rare silver strikings in collector value. Struck from dies by the Lingg firm, whose central Philadelphia location gave them direct access to the merchants seeking Centennial advertising pieces. The Lingg establishment combined die-sinking craft with efficient production methods, enabling merchants to receive customized tokens in quantities ranging from hundreds to thousands of pieces. Centennial token collectors use the Rulau catalog numbering system, which identifies each token by geographic origin and assigns separate entries for different metal compositions of the same die pair.

Rarity Notes

Pa-Ph 888 in white metal is a collectible Centennial merchant token. Philadelphia merchants with three varieties spanning Pa-Ph 880-888, a wide catalog range suggesting multiple production batches. Most examples survive in VF to EF condition.

Cross References

Pa-Ph 888; PCGS #908445