(c.1850) Token Miller NY-154 Brass Chesebrough Stearns & Co.

Coin Details

Description

Chesebrough Stearns & Co. were commission merchants and importers operating in New York City during the 1850s. Commission merchants served as intermediaries in the wholesale trade, purchasing goods on behalf of retailers and earning commissions on transactions. The firm's tokens (Miller NY-151 and NY-154) reflect their position in New York's extensive mercantile network. Struck in brass, this token presented a distinctive golden color that set it apart from the standard copper cent. Merchants who chose brass planchets benefited from the eye-catching appearance while keeping production costs low. Chesebrough Stearns & Co. issued 2 known token varieties. Cataloged as Miller NY-154. Pre-Civil War merchant tokens circulated during a period of chronic small change shortages, when copper tokens filled an essential gap in the American monetary system. This token type is part of a broader tradition of private American coinage stretching from colonial times through the Civil War era.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more commonly encountered metal variants for merchant tokens. Chesebrough Stearns & Co. issued 2 known token varieties.

Cross References

Miller NY-154