(c.1850's) Token Miller Tenn-33 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-33. The Miller reference catalog, compiled by Donald M. Miller, remains the standard numismatic reference for American merchant store cards and provides the definitive numbering system used by collectors and auction houses.

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-33