1898 TC-126125 Brass Mahoney ID Nickel

Coin Details

Description

This 1898 brass piece, cataloged as TC-126125, is described as a "Mahoney ID Nickel," a personal identification token or trade check. Trade checks, identification tokens, and personal advertising pieces were common forms of exonumia in the nineteenth century. The TC catalog number identifies this within a token reference. The "Mahoney" name may refer to the proprietor of a business or the individual for whom the token was made. Brass was the standard material for trade tokens and ID pieces. Bronze medals have served as the workhorse composition for American commemoratives, providing a durable and affordable medium that allowed broad distribution while maintaining the artistic quality of the original designs. Such tokens served practical purposes in an era before standardized identification documents, functioning as business cards, trade credit, or personal identification in metallic form.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. TC-126125, brass. Personal ID tokens from the 1890s are niche collectibles.

Cross References

PCGS #914801; TC-126125; Mahoney; Brass; ID Token; 1898