(1876) White Metal Token SJT 1876-5, Samuel J. Tilden Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This white metal token () 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. The white metal composition (a tin-lead alloy) made this token economical to produce in the large quantities needed for distribution to the massive Centennial crowds. The Lingg brothers ran the most productive die-sinking shop in Centennial-era Philadelphia, cutting custom advertising dies for merchants across multiple trades. 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. Centennial souvenir tokens served dual purposes: they were portable advertisements for the issuing merchants and collectible mementos of the Exposition for visitors to carry home.

Rarity Notes

in white metal is a collectible Centennial token. Availability depends on the specific die combination and metal composition.

Cross References

SJT 1876-5; PCGS #617000