(1876) White Metal Token Rulau Va-Pe 3, S.H. Marks & Co.

Coin Details

Description

This white metal token (Rulau Va-Pe 3) was issued as a souvenir of the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial International Exposition. This piece circulated among the nearly ten million visitors who attended the Exposition at Fairmount Park from May 10 to November 10, 1876. White metal, the composition in which the greatest number of Centennial tokens were produced and survive today. Merchants could afford to distribute white metal tokens liberally because the per-piece cost was negligible compared to the potential advertising return. 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. Between its May opening and November closing, the Centennial attracted nearly ten million visitors — more than the entire population of New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia combined. The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 marked the first time the United States hosted an official World's Fair, using the occasion to display a century of national achievement.

Rarity Notes

Rulau Va-Pe 3 in white metal is a collectible Centennial token. Availability depends on the specific die combination and metal composition.

Cross References

Rulau Va-Pe; PCGS #669787