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 Replies: 8 / Views: 11,055 |
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New Member
Canada
24 Posts |
Hi everyone, I was just given these two commemorative tokens and was wondering if anyone knew what they were? Also they say containing gold, nickel, zinc, platinum, silver, copper and iron. Does anyone know what the percentages of these metals are? Thanks.  Edited by 2Bits
07/08/2012 3:20 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2366 Posts |
I would expect only trace amounts of the valuable metals. Just enough to be able to say 'contains'. :-) Looks like they usually sell for a few dollars on ebay. Highest price I saw was $24 for a set like yours. ONTARIO MINING COMMEMORATIVE COIN MINTED 1967 •Containing gold, nickel, zinc, platinum, silver, copper, iron, mined in Ontario •Minted by the Ontario Government to commemorate the role of mining in the development of Canada •Miner figure is on one side, with emblem/crest of 1867-1967 Confederation of Canada, on the back •The diameter is 1 3/8", the thickness is 1/8" the weigh is appprox. 27g •Some wear and surface scratches please see scan for details •Not mounted |
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New Member
 Canada
24 Posts |
Thanks Kuh_85. I suppose the amount of the valuable metals really don't matter in this case as they were giving to me by a friend and I never sell off the coins or tokens that are given to me. I like to keep them and write on the package somewhere who it came from. Thanks again for the info.
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Moderator
 Canada
10456 Posts |
I have a set of these for my geology type collection. There are two types, a yellow brassy type and a silvery nickel clad type. For fun, I took them into my lab at work and tested them under the most powerful XRF we have. Contrary to what these coins say, they DO NOT contain any gold, platinum, silver or iron, not even in trace amounts. These tokens are simply 66.41% copper, 18.87% nickel and 14.72% zinc. If they do contain any gold, platinum, silver or iron, then they are present in amounts well below my detection limits of the instrument (<2 parts per million). The examples you show above, are in their original case of issue. With shipping, my set cost about $18 when I bought it off ebay last fall. "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
598 Posts |
I have a few of these sets. I bought them at different times, and only because they were mint and complete (cased as pictured above) and the last one in the original box... I didn't even know there was a box.
Of course, I knew any precious metal content was probably negligible... but I didn't think it was practically zero. I don't think I paid more than 10 bucks for any set... all were local purchases.
SPP-Ottawa... you did test both specimens, that is, did you test one of each colour? Would not the colour/metal difference in the medals themselves cause them to be somewhat different compositions since your XRF detects <2ppm? OR, are they a base metal slug with a very thin plating that would be, ah, a very little amount... and what is/would be the plating if plated?
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Moderator
Canada
10456 Posts |
I only tested the brassy looking one. If you want, I will do a comparative test on both. I can also stick both under the SEM and find out what the surface plating is, if you are curious...
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
598 Posts |
Well, I am curious, but I don't believe it's worth the time or effort, and I do appreciate the info on the "gold" coloured one... surely, the other "silver" coloured one would yield similar/non-pm results. So, it turns out to be just another example of the government putting one over on the unwashed masses... again. For shame say I... for shame  |
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Valued Member
Canada
403 Posts |
I just acquired this same set as part of an estate collection, and I too am looking for more info. SPP, did you ever test the silver coloured version since this discussion was started? FOr the broader member community, I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has more details about these coins including mintage, metallic composition, and anyone who may have the history on the intended purpose/recipients of the coins, and who gave the order in council to produce them? Regardless of the answers to these questions, I'm a proud Ontarian and I would not dream of parting with this set. Thanks all!
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Moderator
Canada
10456 Posts |
Yes - it is just plated, basically is the same composition as the brassy looking one...
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Replies: 8 / Views: 11,055 |
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Posted 07/08/2012 2:58 pm
