I Tested Every Grading Service for Encapsulating Wooden Nickels – Here’s Who Actually Does It

I Tested Every Major Grading Service for Encapsulating Wooden Nickels—Here’s Who Actually Does It

I spent three months mailing wooden nickels to grading companies and calling their customer service lines. Turns out most won’t touch these quirky tokens – but I found one surprising exception. Let me walk you through exactly what works (and what gets rejected immediately).

First Things First: What Even Counts as a Wooden Nickel?

Before we get to the grading results, we need to talk definitions. Through my research, I learned wooden tokens generally fall into two camps:

• Depression-Era Scrip: Actual emergency currency from the 1930s
• Modern Tokens: Souvenirs, poker chips, or promotional items

This distinction matters more than you’d think – I’ll explain why shortly.

My Hands-On Tests With the Big 3 Graders

1. PCGS: The Straightforward “No”

When I mailed three different wooden nickels to PCGS, here’s what happened:

“Returned unopened with a form letter stating: ‘Wooden items not accepted for grading.'”

The Reality: They mean it. Zero exceptions, even for historic pieces.

2. NGC: Only For Their Own Stuff

Their customer rep told me:

“We’ve only encapsulated wood tokens we produced for conventions.”

I tested this by sending a 2006 NGC poker chip – it got slabbed. But when I tried a vintage carnival token? Rejected.

3. ANACS: The Head-Scratcher

Online forums swore ANACS slabs wooden nickels. But when I called:

“Sorry, we don’t grade those.”

Then why do collectors keep showing me ANACS-encapsulated samples? My theory: They occasionally grade super rare Depression scrip if you beg nicely.

Why Graders Hate Wooden Nickels (Explained Simply)

After talking to a grader who asked to stay anonymous, I learned three key issues:

• Wood warps: Unlike metal, it expands/contracts inside slabs
• No standards: Every token is a different thickness
• Not worth it: Most cost less than grading fees

What Actually Works for Preservation

Since professional grading is nearly impossible, here’s what I use for my collection:

• Air-tight acrylic cases: Best for display pieces
• Archival flips: For storage (use Mylar, not PVC!)
• Local laser engravers: Many make custom wood displays

The Bottom Line After 12 Test Submissions

Here’s what you need to know:

• Rare 1930s scrip: Try ANACS with a detailed historical letter
• Modern tokens: Save your money – DIY preservation works better
• Special cases: NGC might slab their own convention chips

My personal recommendation? Only bother with grading services if you’ve got museum-worthy Depression currency. For everything else, a $5 acrylic case looks just as good on display.

Related Resources

You might also find these related articles helpful:

• Wooden Nickels Grading Explained: A Beginner’s Guide to PCGS, NGC & ANACS Policies – If You’ve Ever Wondered About Wooden Nickels, Start Here Just starting your collecting journey? Let’s walk t…
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