Test Tokens

Specifications vary by item.

These are experimental test tokens. The purpose was to loan these tokens out to vending machine companies so they could calibrate their machinery in advance of a new coin being released. Therefore they are the same size and weight as the issued coin but usually with a markedly different design that identifies it as a token. Ideally, these tokens were supposed to be returned to the mint, and to this end a very high deposit is charged to the vending company to ensure their return but some simply never make it back home. These tokens are very rare, in fact few collectors ever see them. And, we believe they have excellent potential for price growth. This is an expanding series, meaning the mint continues to issue these tokens for machine calibrations as new coins are introduced. A recent advent is that the mint has sold its test tokens directly to the collecting public. The first and only issue of the tokens sold this way was the $2.00 test token, which sold out after only a few days of release and has since doubled in price. These tokens do have listings with catalogue numbers in the Charlton Standard Catalogue. No prices are shown because they trade so seldom, and who could price them anyways?

Experimental test tokens used to determine the best composition for longer life of dies. These are much rarer than the tokens given to the vending machine companies to calibrate their machines. Only very small numbers of these tokens exist. They were used to determine the best alloys to create the best possible image with the least amount of pressure. This would allow the dies to produce the maximum number of coins without requiring changing. Dies need to be changed when the engraving starts to be filled with metal from the planchets, or when cracks develop in the die.

Take a look at this series as a good way to broaden the scope of your collection to make it more well rounded and representative of all aspects of the coinage series you collect.

Please note that this catalogue is used as both an ordering tool and the only online reference list of its kind. We do not always have every item available in every grade, nor do we have every older coin or set. However, we tend to have most items available in most grades. Rare or hard to obtain items may not be available. Anything not currently available can be located for you if you request by sending an e-mail, fax, or by calling.

Type	Description	Price
1965 10¢ tokens, with RCM	Nickel	50.00
1965 10¢ tokens, without RCM	Nickel	50.00
1965 25¢ tokens	with portrait of George VI and Elizabeth II	475.00
1965 25¢ tokens, with RCM	Nickel	500.00
1965 25¢ tokens, without RCM	Nickel	100.00
1965 25¢ tokens, without RCM	Copper	1,250.00
1965 25¢ tokens, without RCM	Brass	1,250.00
1965 50¢ tokens, Bighorn sheep	Bronze planchet 10 issued	3,750.00
1965 50¢ tokens. Bighorn sheep	Nickel planchet 10 issued, Reeded Edge	3,995.00
1965 50¢ tokens, Bighorn sheep	Nickel planchet, smooth edge, only 1 known, sold in set only
1965 50¢ tokens, Bighorn sheep	Brass, only 1 known, sold in set only
1976 1¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round Copper	175.00
1979 1¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	12-sided copper	195.00
1979 1¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round Copper	195.00
1981 1¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	12-sided Copper	350.00
1981 10¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round Copper	350.00
1981 5¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round Nickel	295.00
1981 1¢ token	French/English, 12-sided copper	200.00
1985 $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	11-sided nickel and brass	150.00
1985 $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, Loon-sized, gold-plated on nickel	300.00
1995 $2 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round bi-metallic	80.00
Undated 5¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 304, Ei	295.00
Undated 5¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, A	295.00
Undated 5¢ token, with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, S	295.00
Undated 5¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, =T=	295.00
Undated 5¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 430	295.00
Undated 5¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, no marking	295.00
Undated 10¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 2 grams	295.00
Undated 10¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 1.8 grams	295.00
Undated 10¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 5 grams	295.00
Undated 10¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 1 gram	295.00
Undated 10¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 430	295.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, bronze, slightly larger and thicker	195.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 4.82 grams	295.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 4.52 grams	295.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 304	295.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, S	295.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, T	295.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, 430	295.00
Undated 25¢ token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, =T=	295.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, N.B.S.	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, Ni.Pl.Zn.	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, C.Br.	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, SS	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, BR	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, NI	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, AV.PL.NI	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, CU. NI	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, 92/8	445.00
Undated $1 token with 3 Maple Leaves	Round, nickel dollar size, AL 5454	445.00
Complete Set of 10 of the above $1 tokens		4,000.00
1985 Test Token Set	Canoe nickel dollar, 11-sided, set of 3, gold plate on nickel, bronze plate on nickel	550.00
1999 P-Marked Test Token Set	1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, medallion	79.95
2004 "Poppy" Colourised 25¢ Test Token Set	1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 25¢ coloured, $1, $2	79.95
2006 Pink Ribbon Test Token Set [49.95]	1¢, 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 25¢ coloured, $1, $2	Sold out
2006 10th Anniversary of the $2 Coin, Proof of Concept Test Token Set [69.95]	2006 $2, 1996-2006 $2, and 3 variant design concepts	Sold out
2011-2012 Security Circulation Coin and Test Token Set	Cointains 2x $2 test tokens, 2x $1 test tokens, plus uncirculated $1 and $2	29.95

All prices shown in Canadian Dollars