(c.1850) Token Miller Pa-476 Brass Sleeper & Fenner

Coin Details

Description

Sleeper & Fenner were umbrella and parasol manufacturers at 126 Market Street in Philadelphia. Their tokens (Miller Pa-476 and Pa-478) in brass and silvered brass feature a distinctive design that mimics the gold Liberty Head dollar, with the word "PARASOL" incorporated into the Liberty coronet. This clever advertising device made the token immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with the gold dollar, while promoting the firm's specialty product. The umbrella and parasol trade was a significant manufacturing sector in Philadelphia, which served as one of the nation's primary centers for specialty goods production. The brass composition gave this token an attractive golden hue that distinguished it from copper coinage. Brass planchets were slightly more expensive than copper but produced a more visually striking advertising piece. Sleeper & Fenner issued 2 known token varieties. Cataloged as Miller Pa-476. The dies for merchant tokens were typically cut by professional engravers, though some frontier examples show more primitive workmanship.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Miller Pa-476