Does anyone think that verdi care could help this one? I know it's a bit rough. Just found it going thru some flips that I had put away.
Wow, that's probably a rare specimen because I don't think there have ever been many elephant shoe stores (and quite frankly, I didn't know there was even a market for elephant shoes, although the elephant model looks good in them). JMO, but I think I would try anything to clean it up because a cleaned specimen could not be worth any less than the butt ugly state that it's in now (based on the pic I see). If it were mine (now I'm going to be looking for one) I wouldn't be planning to flip it, but to make it into something more aesthetically pleasing. Nice pick up!
After a little research this is a advertising token from The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut. They produced this token around 1863. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. They were an American Innovator and produced buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and tokens. The Obverse has an image of a walking elephant wearing shoes. The legend reads: STRAIGHT'S ELEPHANTINE SHOE STORE/ 398 BROADWAY/ 1863. The Reverse legend reads: REDEEMED AT MY SHOE STORE/ 398 BROADWAY ALBANY N.Y. It’s a very nice piece.
Without the stain it should be valued around $50.00 but it’s current condition will obviously lower that price.
It’s a common merchant Civil War token, but it’s very popular because of the elephant in boots design. It appears to have been a Mint State piece before the environmental issues. The obverse could get a little better, but far from perfect, with some restoration, but the reverse looks like a lost cause. Steve Hayden just auctioned a PCGS graded MS-64 R&B for $515, but don’t get your hopes up for anything remotely close to that because of the environmental issues.
Thanks all. The coin doesn't have much wear at all. When I bought it, it had the problems it does right now. I just don't want to make it worse. And would hate to make the surface look tooled. Thanks for the responses. I don't plan on flipping it. I just want something that I can throw into the coin cabinet, and get a skin. I have been lucky so far. The coins are fairly stable in the cabinet and toning is minimal if any. Fingers crossed.
I think that I may find some time this weekend. Gonna be snowing. And you are right verdi care won't hurt it.
That would be awesome. The thought of massaging the product into the coin, I couldn't do with out a good scope. Just seems out of my ability until then. Gonna hold this project for another day. And the corrosion isn't so black in had has a red brown tint to it in hand.
I would not use VC on it, it will probably alter/remove that color toning and barely dent the near-terminal toning. Sometimes it's just best to leave things as they are.
