Token & Medal Buyers and Exonumia Appraisals
What Is Exonumia?
Exonumia consists of coin-like numismatic items that are generally not issued by a government as legal tender. These pieces can document local commerce, transportation, political campaigns, special events, and other parts of history.
What Types of Tokens, Medals, and Exonumia Do We Buy?
- Trade, Merchant, and Civil War Tokens
- Examples include Civil War store cards, trade tokens, merchant tokens, and Hard Times tokens.
- Transit, Tax, and Advertising Tokens
- We evaluate transit tokens, sales-tax tokens, advertising tokens, wooden nickels, and other pieces connected with businesses and communities.
- Souvenir Medals, Medallions, and So-Called Dollars
- Bring souvenir and commemorative medallions, so-called dollars, state souvenirs, and political campaign buttons for evaluation.
- Altered Coins and Other Exonumia
- Other exonumia may include encased, counterstamped, or elongated coins, lucky penny tokens, novelty pieces, and unusual coin-like collectibles.
What Determines the Value of Exonumia?
Many exonumia pieces are common, and value varies. An evaluation considers issuer and attribution, age and historical era, rarity and surviving population, condition, metal or composition, local or historical significance, provenance, and current collector demand.
When tokens or medals are accompanied by letters, signed papers, or other archival material, a historical document appraisal can help evaluate the related items.
How Our Token and Medal Appraisal Process Works
Keep groups, original holders, labels, and documentation together, and do not clean or polish the items. Bring the complete group to PGS Gold & Coin for expert identification and evaluation, then discuss appraisal or sale options with our team with no obligation to sell.
Why Sell Tokens and Medals to PGS Gold & Coin?
PGS Gold & Coin is a team of Certified Coin Dealers, Appraisers, and Precious Metal Specialists. We offer free evaluations, with estate and insurance appraisals available, and serve sellers from five Chicagoland locations. We can direct legal-tender coins to our coin appraisal specialists and other collectibles to the appropriate collectibles appraiser.
What is the difference between exonumia and coins?
Coins are generally government-issued legal tender. Exonumia is coin-like material outside government-issued legal tender. Legal-tender coins belong with our coin appraisal specialists.
Are old tokens and medals valuable?
Some are valuable, while many are common. Value depends on identification, rarity, condition, history, provenance, and current collector demand.
Should I clean tokens or medals before an appraisal?
No. Cleaning can damage surfaces and reduce collector interest. Keep items as found, and keep groups, labels, holders, and provenance together.
Do you evaluate inherited or mixed collections?
Yes. PGS offers free evaluations and can provide estate and insurance appraisals. Bring the full collection and available documentation so items can be reviewed in context.
Do you buy military medals and challenge coins?
Military service medals, challenge coins, and militaria should be reviewed by our military memorabilia buyers. This page focuses on exonumia.