(c.1850's) Token Miller Tenn-32 Brass M.H. Miller & Co.

Coin Details

Description

M.H. Miller & Co. were hatters at 257 Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Their brass tokens (Miller Tenn-32 and Tenn-33) advertised the hat-making business on Memphis's primary commercial thoroughfare. Memphis was the second-largest city in Tennessee and a major cotton trading center on the Mississippi River. The presence of multiple hatters in Memphis (including Francisco & Co. nearby at 348 Main) indicates a competitive retail market for headwear in the antebellum city. Brass was a favored alternative to copper for merchant tokens, offering a warm golden tone that attracted attention. This brass striking would have stood out immediately in a handful of copper cents. M.H. Miller & Co. issued 2 known token varieties. Cataloged as Miller Tenn-32. Merchant store cards from this period served dual purposes: as advertising for the issuing business and as practical small change during periods when federal coinage was scarce or inconvenient. Tokens of this type are collected both as numismatic objects and as historical documents of 19th century American business.

Rarity Notes

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

Cross References

Miller Tenn-32