Hi, Found this coin in northern New Jersey while doing some yard work. Didn't know much about coins when I found it, and probably made a mistake cleaning it off. The patina seemed to hold some of the detailing, and when cleaned off, it exposed the pitting in the coin. Either way was a cool find for me. What are your thoughts on the quality/type of coin? Any history is also much appreciated.
Yea I was surprised to see it sitting there at the top of a pile of dirt I just dug up. Regardless of the condition, I think the history of it is cool, thinking about how it wound up getting there in the first place considering the origin.
Canadian Bank Token issued prior to Confederation. It's in rough condition, but hey, you found it in the ground. Since it was buried, cleaning it probably didn't affect the value much. It's a common token and I've seen damaged/worn ones in dealers $1 pick boxes Coins and Canada has a little info. You can probably google the history if you want to know more https://www.coinsandcanada.com/tokens-medals-banks.php
After the cleaning, this is the kind of coin that would not be harmed by rubbing in a dab of petroleum jelly, letting it sit awhile, and then wiping off the excess as much as possible. Others may disagree, but I'm willing to learn.
