No Date Copper Token Rulau Pa-Ph 182A, Key & Co.

Coin Details

Description

Copper merchant token issued by Key & Co. of Philadelphia, undated. Key & Co. operated a retail establishment in Philadelphia during the 19th century. Philadelphia's long tradition of merchant token production dates back to the colonial era and continued through the entire 19th century. The Pa-Ph prefix in Rulau's catalog denotes a Philadelphia city attribution. Key & Co.'s token served as an advertising piece in a competitive retail market where numerous Philadelphia merchants used tokens to promote their businesses. Copper, 22mm. Tokens from the antebellum period circulated in an economy where small change shortages were a recurring problem, making merchant-issued pieces both advertisements and practical currency substitutes. Philadelphia tokens benefit from the city's role as the nation's first capital and its long tradition of metalworking, from the U.S. Mint to private die sinkers like Robert Lovett Jr.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Undated Philadelphia merchant token. Key & Co.'s specific trade and dates of operation remain subjects for numismatic research. Philadelphia merchant tokens are well-collected and form one of the largest state sections in the Rulau catalog.

Cross References

Rulau Pa-Ph; PCGS #930417