(c.1852-53) Token Miller Tenn-55 Copper Francisco & Whitman

Coin Details

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. The copper composition provided excellent durability for everyday handling. Merchant tokens in copper circulated freely alongside federal cents, and the familiar reddish-brown metal ensured ready acceptance in local commerce. Cataloged as Miller Tenn-55 in the standard reference for American merchant tokens. Surviving specimens in higher grades are scarce, as most tokens saw extensive commercial use before being saved.

Rarity Notes

Copper striking, the standard metal for merchant tokens of this period. Miller Tenn-55. Francisco & Whitman issued 3 known token varieties.

Cross References

Miller Tenn-55