No Date Token Ferguson-400 Groth Bros. Battle Creek Iowa

Coin Details

Description

This undated token, cataloged as Ferguson-400, was issued by Groth Bros. of Battle Creek, Iowa. The Groth Brothers operated a merchant business in rural Iowa, and this token served as a trade piece redeemable for goods or services at their establishment. Trade tokens were a common feature of small-town American commerce from the mid-nineteenth through early twentieth centuries, allowing merchants to extend credit, promote customer loyalty, and provide small change in communities where federal coinage was sometimes scarce. The Ferguson catalog is a standard reference for Iowa trade tokens, and the number 400 places the Groth Bros. token within the broader documentation of Iowa commercial history. Battle Creek is a small community in Ida County, Iowa, reflecting the widespread use of trade tokens even in very small agricultural towns.

Rarity Notes

Iowa trade token, Ferguson-400. Groth Bros., Battle Creek, Iowa. Small-town merchant issue. Scarce regional piece.

Cross References

PCGS #623927; Ferguson-400; Groth Bros., Battle Creek, IA