(c.1851) Token Miller Ohio-8 Brass Dodd & Co., Hatters

Coin Details

Description

Dodd & Co. were hatters at 144 Main Street in Cincinnati, Ohio. The firm was the first Cincinnati hatter to manufacture fine hats that competed with eastern cities, breaking the regional monopoly that New York and Philadelphia hat makers had maintained. Their tokens (Miller Ohio-8 through Ohio-10) in brass, copper, and silvered brass advertised this competitive achievement. Cincinnati was the largest city in Ohio and a major manufacturing center known as the "Queen of the West," making it a natural market for a high-quality hat manufacturer seeking to establish local 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. Dodd & Co., Hatters issued 3 known token varieties. Cataloged as Miller Ohio-8. Tokens of this type are collected both as numismatic objects and as historical documents of 19th century American business.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. Dodd & Co., Hatters issued 3 known token varieties.

Cross References

Miller Ohio-8