(c.1850) Token Miller Miss-4Gilt Brass Benjn. F. Fotterall

Coin Details

Description

Benjamin F. Fotterall was a merchant dealing in dry goods, boots, and shoes in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Fotterall was a Jewish merchant, part of the small but commercially active Jewish community in antebellum Mississippi. His extensive series of tokens (Miller Miss-3 through Miss-7a) in copper and gilt brass indicates a well-established business. Vicksburg was a strategic Mississippi River port and commercial center that would gain lasting fame during the Civil War when its 47-day siege by Union forces under General Grant in 1863 split the Confederacy in two. Fotterall's multiple token varieties make him the most prolific token issuer in antebellum Mississippi. The gilt finish over the base metal provided an eye-catching golden surface that would have attracted immediate attention. Gilt tokens were more expensive to produce and are scarcer than unfinished brass or copper versions. With 4 known token varieties, Benjamin F. Fotterall was an active issuer of merchant tokens. Cataloged as Miller Miss-4Gilt.

Rarity Notes

Gilt pieces are somewhat scarcer than plain brass or copper versions, as the gilding process added cost to production. Benjamin F. Fotterall issued 4 known token varieties.

Cross References

Miller Miss-4Gilt