(c.1852-53) Token Miller Tenn-53A Brass Francisco & Whitman

Coin Details

Auction Record

$312 MS65 06-12-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

Francisco & Co. were hatters at 348 Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee, while the related firm Francisco & Whitman operated on the Public Square in Nashville. The dual-city presence suggests a successful partnership that expanded across Tennessee's two largest commercial centers. Their tokens (Miller Tenn-11, Tenn-53A, Tenn-55) advertised the hat-making business in a state that would be deeply divided during the Civil War. Memphis and Nashville supported active merchant communities engaged in regional trade connecting the upper and lower South. 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. Francisco & Co. / Francisco & Whitman issued 3 known token varieties. Cataloged as Miller Tenn-53A. Merchant store cards represent one of the most diverse collecting fields in American numismatics, spanning hundreds of merchants across dozens of states.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more commonly encountered metal variants for merchant tokens. Francisco & Co. / Francisco & Whitman issued 3 known token varieties.

Cross References

Miller Tenn-53A