Token Cleaning/Restoring

[IndianHead97]

I found a couple tokens a couple years back and I tried the traditional routes to clean them including water with a toothbrush, olive oil, and others. I even used Brasso on one of them, but I was wondering if there was anyway to restore these tokens to look closer to their original form. This way they look good and have that shine. I was wondering if PCGS has a professional restoration service but I dont know if that includes tokens, and on a side note does anyone know if PCGS will grade and encapsulate the tokens? Anyway any info helps I dont want to ruin these tokens but I would like them to look better! Thanks!

 

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[idahotokens]

You might want to post pics of what you have - that might reveal some recommendations on a cleaning method. If I recall, PCGS sends coins back in a "body bag" if they have been cleaned. By the way, what advantage do you see in getting them graded and/or encapsulated? If it is a $5 token and you spend $25 to get it encapsulated, it is still a $5 token.
John in the Great 208

 

[intimer]

cleaning is okay on tokens. but many token collectors are from the coin world. coin collectors are all about condition.
to me tokens are dramatically different in that "use is history", scrip especially!

the low mintages of tokens compared to coinage means getting a token in any condition may be the only opportunity...at least until others are found!

if lettering is missing due to wear or pitting, then a token needs to be discounted. if the obverse & reverse of a token can be identified (many variations in scrip), then the token is collectable. scrip can show wear in my book!

we believe scrip is often worn badly because of the coal dust in pockets and on the company store counters. I carried a brass scrip piece for more than a year and it definitely should wear...even without the abrasive coal dust. bimetal tokens often have worn centers because the metal is softer and the rim near the outer ringed wording protects.

I know one guy that cleaned his aluminum tokens harshly to remove all the corrosion then spray paints it.....ugh! BUT---if I were offered one of those painted tokens, and it was pitted it's collectable, and I would want it...because it just might be the only one known! I have heard in the antiques world about liquids that artificially patina brass and maybe other metals. this could be a dealbreaker to a coin collector though a token collector....it's what the buyer can stand and how rare the token is.

mike w.

the new edkin's Volume 2 WV only coal token catalog is near being printed and will show mintages of the Ingle Schierloh die maker's tokens.

 

[texasvarmit]

I found a couple tokens a couple years back and I tried the traditional routes to clean them including water with a toothbrush, olive oil, and others. I even used Brasso on one of them, but I was wondering if there was anyway to restore these tokens to look closer to their original form. This way they look good and have that shine. I was wondering if PCGS has a professional restoration service but I dont know if that includes tokens, and on a side note does anyone know if PCGS will grade and encapsulate the tokens? Anyway any info helps I dont want to ruin these tokens but I would like them to look better! Thanks!

pretty much what idahotokens said. Also Brasso is one of the worst things you can do to a brass token. You did not say what metal your tokens are, since you mentioned Brasso, I assume they are all brass? Aluminum tokens are difficult to clean, moreso than brass, as aluminum corrodes badly often eating holes in the token.

Brass tokens can typically be saved if caught before the ground action eats them up. There are a few token collectors, who do an excellent job of cleaning brass tokens and "toning" them so they read well and look good.

There is one fellow in Houston who does such a fine job that other collectors ask him to clean their tokens for them sometimes. I have asked him to clean some of my expensive tokens, as he can do a better job than myself and I have been collecting tokens since 1974-5.

this is an example of a brass token that he cleaned and toned:

As Idaho said, slabbing tokens is not worthwhile, nor desirable generally, and most serious collectors of TRADE TOKENS do not like slabbed tokens. (it is used some on civil war tokens and hard times tokens, as those collectors are more condition conscious than us collectors of trade tokens).