Not sure where to even begin... organizing options, storage for preservation, 1 1

[steveg154]

Hi all,

First off, thank you in advance for your patience with me and your feedback. 

I received a bunch of coins through inheritance about 10 years ago, upon my mother's passing.  I believe that my father received most of them from his father (my Grandfather whom I never got to meet as he passed before I was born).  I think he dabbled a bit, but I don't remember my dad really getting into numismatics.  When I took ownership of the coins; at that time in my life, I really didn't have the time to do anything else other than work & family.  I wasn't sure what coin collecting was about or how coin collecting even worked, so I took all the coin boards as well as quite a few lose coins and vacuum sealed them and put them in a plastic bin tucked away in the back of my home office closet.

Anyway, I now have some time being semi-retired and stuck at home most of the time; I wanted to start looking through the collection.

High Level Inventory  (See Photos Below)

• (2) Lincoln Head Penny Collection: (1909 VDB, 1909s VDB, 1909, 1909S  through 1939, 1939S, 1939D) 
  • Set 1: (Missing only 1909S VDB)
  • Set 2: (Missing 1909S VDB, 1909S, 1918D, 1921, 1931S, and 1939S)
• (2) Indian Head Penny Collector boards
  • Row 1: 1856, 1857, 1858 Lg Letters, 1858 Sm Letters,   (Flying Eagle - Copper Nickel)
  • Row 2:  1859 through 1864  (Indian Head - Copper Nickel)
  • Row 3 - Row 8: 1864 through 1909S (Indian Head - Bronze)
    • Set 1 - Row 1: Missing 1856
    • Set 1 - Row 2: Missing 1859 & 1860
    • Set 1 - Row 3: Missing 1864 - 1870
    • Set 1 - Row 4: Missing 1873 - 1877
    • Set 1 - Row 5: Missing 1884
    • Set 1 - Row 6: Missing 1894
    • Set 1 - Row 7: None Missing
    • Set 1 - Row 8: Missing 1909S 
    • Set 2:  Only 20 Indian Head Bronze Coins exist on the board

Just curious, are the boards worth anything as these look very old?  The rest of the collection are loose coins. There are a lot different silver coins (Silver Dollars, 1800's Nickels, Dimes & Quarters as well as others; and still quite a few pennies.  At first glance most are duplicate dates from the boards, but I know there are some after 1939 and I'll inventory them and be more specific in future posts... that is if ya'll will put up with me. ;-)

So, in closing, I'm kind of overwhelmed with the amount of information out there, so any recommendations would be extremely helpful:

"For someone just starting out...

1. Where do I start?

• What are my Organizing Options for both as a collector and as a possible seller?
• Is vacuum sealing something good to do until I figure out the above bullet?
• All look to have been in circulation so they are in different conditions... some dirty, some worn, some are both.
• How do you know if it is even worth sending off to be professionally cleaned by NCS or anyone else?

I'll be honest, not sure if the numismatic bug will bite me or not, but at a minimum, I want to take the time to organize and properly care for the collection.

Thanks, steveg154

Edited February 4, 2021 by steveg154

[Lem E]

Hello, and welcome to the forum. I can see how you could be overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have. First off let me say, VERY COOL!!! If you were planning to become a collector, you are off to a great start. My first recommendation would be to pick up a RED BOOK which is a book that has information about a variety of coins. This way you can kind of see what you have and what are the good ones and what are the more common coins. Maybe just start with a series that you particularly like and start there rather than try to learn about everything at once. The boards are very cool. Some of those old boards do have certain chemicals that may react with the coins though, so you have to watch out for that. You also have to make sure if you are putting your coins in plastic, that it does not contain pvc which will also react with your coins. Just from what I see, I think what you have is pretty awesome. I would just take my time and try to learn about what you have before making any other decisions as far as selling or what not. It will probably take you some time just to go through and see what you actually have. I hope this helps you out a little bit. There are many more members on this forum with vast amounts of knowledge about all types of coins. Im sure they will jump in as soon as they see this. Good luck with everything.

[JKK]

As Lem E suggested, I would begin by ordering a current Red Book (search for Red Book US Coins 2021). While the prices are not going to be current, they will give you an idea in relative terms what's what. Another good buy would be the ANA Grading Standards guide, which will teach you how to assess the coins' condition. If you're only focusing on a couple of types (IHPs and Lincs), you should pretty quickly get good at seeing the stuff the standards describe. For example, on the reverse of wheaties, to get VG-8 or better it's got to have half the lines showing on top of the wheat stalks. For F-12, need 'em all, however weak some might be. The reason I suggest addressing this at this point is that the boards, while interesting collectors items that should in no way be tossed, probably have sulfur-containing cardboard which long term isn't good for the coins.

So: if you're going to be popping them out and putting them in flips, it is easier to grade them when they are outside the flips, and for that you'll want those books. If you do decide to put them in flips (cardboard/mylar or clear plastic Saflips, your call, pros and cons of each), might be nice to get some album pages (2x2s fit twenty to a page) whereby you could if you wished leave blank spaces for those you want to fill later. Basically it's creating your own board but one that fits in a binder and isn't going to f-bomb up the coins.

Cool collection. That should help you get moving on understanding what you have.

[Lem E]

Oh yea and one more tip, do NOT clean your coins. (Yourself I mean.)

Edited February 4, 2021 by Lem E

[Fenntucky Mike]

Very cool,

I have several boards all filled with low grade circulated coins. A couple I framed and hung on a wall, the others I have an easel to display them on, I'll change the board out depending on what I want to display that day, week, month.... There are many way to enjoy coins/collecting, hope you have fun learning about yours.

Me as a collector, the first thing I want to do when I see a partial board is find the coins to complete it. But I'm compulsive that way.

[JT2]

First of all let me tell you how COOL those boards are.  there are people that collect just the boards.  and i have to second the motion of the otheres dont ever clean them.  leave them just how they are.  If you would like them cleaned i would suggest sending them into NCS (the better date ones)  they would do the best job of getting them stable.  As for the rest you can buy a couple of packs of NON-PVC flips to put them in.  I do this with my circulated coins and then place them in a binder (Notebook)  I hope you enjoy your coins for years to come and welcome to the hobby and boards

[DWLange]

As you can tell from my avatar I am an enthusiast of coin boards. The ones you have are common and not worth a lot, but it's still fun to see them "in the wild."

[steveg154]

9 hours ago, Lem E said:

Oh yea and one more tip, do NOT clean your coins. (Yourself I mean.)

Thanks for the warm welcome Lem E, JKK, et.all!  Additionally, thanks for the feedback!!  I just went to Amazon and got those two books (2021 Red Book & Official ANA Grading Book) 

Yep in my initial reading, it said it wasn't wise to clean your coins especially using things like Acids, acetone, soaps, detergents, solvents, lemons, vinegar, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide etc.  especially copper coins. I know I won't be doing any cleaning myself or even professionally anytime soon for any of the coins.  As ya'll said, take your time, get those two books mentioned above, and start reading!

Pardon my ignorance but when I looked at organizing and storage products or "flips" there are lots of different methods, styles, and materials to chose from.  Things like Binders and/or Boxes for storage; Cardboard Coin Holders/Flips, Unplasticized Vinyl Flips, Polypropylene 20 Pocket Coin Pages, etc.  I have also seen several Hobbymaster Coin Collecting Starter Bundles however not sure what types of things should I be looking for so as not to spend money on things I really don't need or even worse they are not truly designed for proper care and storage of a collection. Any recommendations for this newbie?

I'm sure this is second nature to most of ya'll, but I came across this just searching proper handling of coins...

7 Rules for Properly Handling Precious Metal Coins:

1. Never touch valuable collectors coins with your bare hands
2. Wear clean cotton gloves when you need to handle coins
3. Handle coins by the edge, never by the face
4. Keep your coins in protective holders
5. Handle coins over soft surfaces
6. Never clean your coins
7. Store coins properly

Do the gloves have to be cotton? I have a ton of thin vinyl gloves (early Covid precaution last March) and have been using them. Is that OK?

I may start to inventory my other coins later today and post some photos as time permits.

Thanks & Regards... steveg154

[JKK]

Let me simplify the storage options a bit. There are cardboard flips (usually 2x2; there are 1.5x1.5s as well) that you fold over and staple, and write on the outside. There are Saflips or other clear plastic flips, where you slip the coin inside but do not seal it, and you stick a little cardboard insert in the other side containing the information. The "coin pages" are the album pages where you can arrange those flips (I got mine from BCW; I say got because I ordered too many and what I have will probably last me for life). They work for either cardboard or plastic flips. This is the most common way. You can see it on display in the type books of any coin shop.

Why would you pick one way over the other? I use cardboard for modern coins and clear plastic for ancients, which are my main area of collecting. This is because once I've identified and graded a modern coin, there isn't much else I'll ever need to do with it. I won't be taking it back out unless the mylar gets torn, and I won't need to write new stuff on it. For medieval and ancient stuff, I sometimes want/need to reprint the insert with corrected information; I also sometimes need to take the coin out for a closer look at this or that, put it under strong magnification. Also, the clear plastic is one size fits almost all (except for great big hockey pucks like 1790s Russian 5 kopeks, Maria Theresia thalers, and other lethal weapons). Obviously, the cardboard flips only fit that size or smaller, so penny flips could be used for dimes but nothing larger.

Other storage options include airtites and the like (solid clear plastic containers that sort of snap together, either round or squared up to 2x2), or encapsulation slabs (basically a homebrew version of what grading services use) which are a fancier version of the airtite genre. It's a very individual thing and there is no right or wrong way provided you protect the coins from avoidable damage.

If I were you, doing what you're doing, I'd go with the 2x2 cardboard flips. This is the Honda Accord of coin storage. They are sized to fit each denomination of US coin, so you want to get the penny ones, typically sold by the hundred; get a couple hundred, they aren't spendy. Either get a flat-clinch stapler or prepare to do some work with pliers as you go (I still use the pliers; don't like flat-clinch, but I'm in a small minority). Also get a pack of twenty album pages, the 20-pocket kind. That should keep you out of the fleshpots for a while. You'll probably develop a preferred stapling pattern (I'm pretty fascist about mine), format for labeling the flips, and so on. Don't forget that if you find you don't like a method, you can always change; you'll only be out the small cost of supplies. I looked on BCW and came up with the following itemization for the supplies I suggest:

2x2 paper flips q100, penny, q2: $5.49 x 2 = $10.98

Pro 20-pocket page, pack of 20: $5.99

Max flat clinch #10 stapler: $14.99 (optional)

Max #10 staples, box: $5.99 (optional; out of stock)

Shipping: probably $10ish; this is a smaller amount than most collectors buy. If you prefer a normal stapler and pliers, and have your staples already, obviously that's off the shopping list. I like one of those mousetrap staplers with spring-loading that bangs down with a brutal whack, and I then plier the staples flat in such a way as to drive the tips into the cardboard which reduces snagging, but I might be the only one who thinks it's worth the effort. Obviously you can also buy the flips and pages at your coin dealer (they will like you) and the staple stuff at Office Despot (they won't care but they also won't be out of stock on fricking staples).

Hope that helps bring some clarity to the avalanche of confusing options.

Edited February 4, 2021 by JKK

[Lem E]

I think vinyl gloves are fine myself but that is my opinion. You are just trying to avoid getting the oils from your skin on the coin. I’m sure you have seen coins with fingerprints on them, which is what you are trying to avoid. You also never know what is on a coin and the gloves will help keep that “metal” smell off your fingers. Cotton gloves seem to be what is recommended generally, but it makes the coins very slick. That is where your soft surface comes in. Hold over a towel or something soft, because you WILL drop coins. It’s just going happen if it hasn’t already.

[steveg154]

1 hour ago, JKK said:

Let me simplify the storage options a bit. There are cardboard flips (usually 2x2; there are 1.5x1.5s as well) that you fold over and staple, and write on the outside. There are Saflips or other clear plastic flips, where you slip the coin inside but do not seal it, and you stick a little cardboard insert in the other side containing the information. The "coin pages" are the album pages where you can arrange those flips (I got mine from BCW; I say got because I ordered too many and what I have will probably last me for life). They work for either cardboard or plastic flips. This is the most common way. You can see it on display in the type books of any coin shop.

Why would you pick one way over the other? I use cardboard for modern coins and clear plastic for ancients, which are my main area of collecting. This is because once I've identified and graded a modern coin, there isn't much else I'll ever need to do with it. I won't be taking it back out unless the mylar gets torn, and I won't need to write new stuff on it. For medieval and ancient stuff, I sometimes want/need to reprint the insert with corrected information; I also sometimes need to take the coin out for a closer look at this or that, put it under strong magnification. Also, the clear plastic is one size fits almost all (except for great big hockey pucks like 1790s Russian 5 kopeks, Maria Theresia thalers, and other lethal weapons). Obviously, the cardboard flips only fit that size or smaller, so penny flips could be used for dimes but nothing larger.

Other storage options include airtites and the like (solid clear plastic containers that sort of snap together, either round or squared up to 2x2), or encapsulation slabs (basically a homebrew version of what grading services use) which are a fancier version of the airtite genre. It's a very individual thing and there is no right or wrong way provided you protect the coins from avoidable damage.

If I were you, doing what you're doing, I'd go with the 2x2 cardboard flips. This is the Honda Accord of coin storage. They are sized to fit each denomination of US coin, so you want to get the penny ones, typically sold by the hundred; get a couple hundred, they aren't spendy. Either get a flat-clinch stapler or prepare to do some work with pliers as you go (I still use the pliers; don't like flat-clinch, but I'm in a small minority). Also get a pack of twenty album pages, the 20-pocket kind. That should keep you out of the fleshpots for a while. You'll probably develop a preferred stapling pattern (I'm pretty fascist about mine), format for labeling the flips, and so on. Don't forget that if you find you don't like a method, you can always change; you'll only be out the small cost of supplies. I looked on BCW and came up with the following itemization for the supplies I suggest:

2x2 paper flips q100, penny, q2: $5.49 x 2 = $10.98

Pro 20-pocket page, pack of 20: $5.99

Max flat clinch #10 stapler: $14.99 (optional)

Max #10 staples, box: $5.99 (optional; out of stock)

Shipping: probably $10ish; this is a smaller amount than most collectors buy. If you prefer a normal stapler and pliers, and have your staples already, obviously that's off the shopping list. I like one of those mousetrap staplers with spring-loading that bangs down with a brutal whack, and I then plier the staples flat in such a way as to drive the tips into the cardboard which reduces snagging, but I might be the only one who thinks it's worth the effort. Obviously you can also buy the flips and pages at your coin dealer (they will like you) and the staple stuff at Office Despot (they won't care but they also won't be out of stock on fricking staples).

Hope that helps bring some clarity to the avalanche of confusing options.

Thank you so much for that punch list JKK. That looks like a great way to go and will definitely get me started in the right direction!!

[steveg154]

30 minutes ago, Lem E said:

I think vinyl gloves are fine myself but that is my opinion. You are just trying to avoid getting the oils from your skin on the coin. I’m sure you have seen coins with fingerprints on them, which is what you are trying to avoid. You also never know what is on a coin and the gloves will help keep that “metal” smell off your fingers. Cotton gloves seem to be what is recommended generally, but it makes the coins very slick. That is where your soft surface comes in. Hold over a towel or something soft, because you WILL drop coins. It’s just going happen if it hasn’t already.

Thanks Lem E! 

[JKK]

6 minutes ago, steveg154 said:

Thank you so much for that punch list JKK. That looks like a great way to go and will definitely get me started in the right direction!!

Glad to help. I understand how overwhelming it can be to go there and look for coin supplies, and see seven listings that all seem at first to be the same thing. It creates a worry that one is getting the wrong thing, going to have a headache, feel like a dork. (Take a guess how I know that.) I figured we could burn this signal right through all that noise.

Long term, for vendors, if you ask about here there'll be lots of responses on coin suppliers. No experienced collector here is going to use anyone bad, so you should feel pretty safe there. But for starters, this is just one option.

[JT2]

On 2/4/2021 at 12:53 PM, JKK said:

There are Saflips or other clear plastic flips, where you slip the coin inside but do not seal it, and you stick a little cardboard insert in the other side containing the information. The "coin pages" are the album pages where you can arrange those flips (I got mine from BCW; I say got because I ordered too many and what I have will probably last me for life). They work for either cardboard or plastic flips. This is the most common way. You can see it on display in the type books of any coin shop.

YES SIR this is how 90% of my unslabbed coins are. I went cheap and got notebooks with the window on the front and back and spine where i could slip a full page color print of the front and back of the coin in and then on the spine i printed coin type years ect. i. e Jeffersons 1938 - 1964.    they look pretty good and the binders were only like 5 bucks each instead of the 44 dollors with the slip covers and all............