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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;johnmilton, post: 8264942, member: 101855&quot;]From what I&#039;ve read, tin corrodes at low temperatures. That is consistent with my observation that the process can be checked by storing the item in a climate controlled environment. </p><p><br /></p><p>Here is a Henry Clay, 1844 campaign medalet that I have owned for 25 years, and it has not changed.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1458090[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1458091[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The campaigns used this stuff because it was cheaper than copper or brass, softer, which was easier to strike and cut down on die wear. Since the medalets were no good to them after the election, they didn&#039;t care if these pieces fell apart. </p><p><br /></p><p>In the 1860s, collectors got interested in these pieces. Token makers took out the old dies and restruck these tokens sometimes in copper, brass or even silver, which less reactive. </p><p><br /></p><p>Here is an 1852 Winfield Scott token in white metal which has some pest&nbsp; on it (bubbles like small pox).</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1458101[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1458102[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>And here is the same variety restruck in the 1860s on copper. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1458103[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1458104[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>General Scott was the Whig presidential candidate. The party was in the process of breaking up over the slavery issue. There were the &quot;conscience Whigs&quot; in the North who were abolitionists or having second thoughts about slavery. The southern branch of the party were the &quot;cotton Whigs&quot; who wanted slavery to continue. Many &quot;conscience Whigs&quot; came together and formed the Republican Party in 1854.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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