Coin Storage Pointers Needed

[pendragon1998]

I'm just starting back out with collecting after a 12 year hiatus. I basically haven't done a large amount of collecting since I was a young teenager. I've got a number of coins I'd like to protect in some sort of storage containers, and some that are currently in containers that I want to make sure are safe.

 

I have several hundred circulated coins in whitman cardboard books, but nothing really valuable there. Some others are in flips of unknown origin/age - I'm planning to replace the flips with new ones. Some of my better coins (still nothing more than $50 to $100) are in the rigid 2x2 plastic cases by whitman. Other than that, I have a few sets of proofs from the 1960s in the flexible plastic, a few more modern uncirculated coins I got from Littleman that are in some sort of flexible plastic material (mylar?), and a couple of recent silver eagles I got in velvet-lined display cases..

 

Basically, I'm looking at trying to store my coins in a manner that is both economical and long-lasting, since I'm in my early 20s and I want this stuff to last until I'm older. I'm thinking of putting my better specimens in the Whitman 2x2 rigid plastic holders, and remove some of my better circulated collection from the cardboard books into flips. Should I completely move everything from the books into flips or plastic tubes? Should I cut open the flexible plastic proof sets and do something else with them? I'm not really at a point where I think I've got anything valuable enough to get put into slabs, but I don't want anything to get trashed because it's in a poor storage container - particularly the uncirculated silver eagles I've got.

 

Can anyone give me some pointers on how I should go about storing and re-packaging my collection? Thanks!

[pendragon1998]

Boy, the responses are overwhelming. I know this is a basic question, but I was hoping for at least one or two responses.

[Larry Dreher]

Take a look at this. I'm no expert but I found the informatrion interesting:

 

Coin Storage Info

[Grumps]

Boy, the responses are overwhelming. I know this is a basic question, but I was hoping for at least one or two responses.

 

I'll be number two. Actually, you asked a question that some people may feel uneasy answering. Giving advice on storing and preserving a persons personal coins is like telling them how to invest in their future in a way. No one wants to give you bad advice and therefore it's probably easier to say nothing at all.

 

My suggestion is that you look over your collection and replace anything that has brittle or damaged materials. Older flips may have used PVC type materials so you may want to replace them with new non-PVC type flips. As far as your Proof sets are concerned, if you have all original government packaging and materials with the sets, you should keep the sets together with all their original pieces. They are more valuable as a complete set unless you want to break the sets up and send them in for certification. Your albums may be ok although there are new albums that reduce the effects of toning and corrosion that you can purchase if you feel that is the direction that you would like to head. The best are made by Intercept. Any key date coins that you may have you would probably want to remove from the albums and put into a non-PVC flip for safe keeping or you may want to consider sending it in for certification. That way it will be graded and encapsulated so you won't have to worry about it again.

 

Greg

[MunkyMan95]

When you store your coins, make sure to keep them in a dry place (use Silica Gel packets or Dessicant packs as needed) with relatively low humidity.

[dtimpe]

Pendragon,

I too recently started collecting again due primarily to collections left to my son.

 

I've found a number of books on collecting at the local library. Some were very informative including thoughts on preservation. One book was titled something like the Coin Collectors Survival Guide. I found it an excellent source of info. One suuggestion I've seen on old collections involved very lightly cleaning (please no shouting) with alchohol and Q-tips. I don't think the alchohol would affect the coins and it doesn't remove tarnish but there does seem to be a lot of dirt, brown, black collected on the Q-tips so it is removing something. And some of the coins do have a bit better appearance after. I'll be interested in other members comments on this one. Generally all books and articles have come down on the practice of "dipping coins" to clean them. I have several coins which are in very good shape and are very common so relatively unvaluable. I'd like to display them so may consider cleaning them up with a quick dip. (I'm sure that will earn some comments!). I realize these will become "damaged" in a collectors eyes but I'm talking about very circulated $5-10 coins here and they're worth more to me in an attractive state.

 

Pendragon, I think Grumps has made a very good observation. Most folks won't risk giving bad advice. However, us newbies respect all advice and I for one would rather receive an opinion which I can evaluate and decide to accept or reject. I'm offering mine and want to re-enforce my limited knowledge. Keep researching.

[kevinbuff-migration]

What about dansco albums. I'm trying to complete the 3 cent and 20 cent album. Should I ditch it and only use mylars flips and intercept boxes? Or are the dansco albums with the insert cases ok?

[bsshog40]

I keep all my proofs in a fire proof safe with silica packets. It's fairly new so don't know the long range effects if any. My concern I have is I keep alot of my coins in a wooden (pine) nightstand. I also keep a couple large silica packets in there also. I had a new ben franklin comm proof have some wierd hazing. I don't see anything on my other coins. Don't know if this caused it or not. I've heard that some wood can cause harm. I don't know!!! Any single coins I purchase that aren't in slabs, I purchase air-tites for them. I've never seen anything go wrong in those as of yet. It seems that you never find the right method until you've already damaged a few coins in the process of elimination for that perfect storage container.

[bmurching-migration]

This is a great topic and I'm watching it as well.

 

I also have many hundreds if not thousands of coins in Whitman books that I am revisiting after perhaps 10-15 years away from coin collecting. Some of these coins are circulated but a great many of them are upper grade uncirculated coins and there are quite a few proofs in them. (I was young--didn't know better!) I spent about every dime I had on coin collecting up until 17 or so... and am only now starting to sort through the collections.

 

What I'm finding is that the Whitman books seem to have done their job well. Just about every coin seems to be in excellent condition. No scratches, no spotting, no weird discoloration, just beautiful coins. Looks like proofs and the uncirculated coins are generally in books intended for larger-sized coins, so they are not fixed in place. Most of these things have sat around for the past decade... perhaps getting moved from one closet to another every three or so years.

 

I'm debating whether it might be better to simply "leave them be" rather than go through the expense of expensive modern high-tech storage. Have others had the same experience as I, that the Whitman books, left unperturbed in old grocery bags in closets in a typical home, do a reasonable job after all?

[AuldFartte-migration]

I can't offer advice. I can just tell you what I do. I have most of my nicer stuff in Dansco albums, and I have just replaced some older albums with new ones and added the environmental protection slipcases. I live in a dry climate, I've used Danscos for decades, and I've never had a problem with environmental damage occurring while in these albums. A few of the silver coins have lightly toned at the periphery, but that's it.

 

Stuff I am keeping for now, but might sell later goes into 2x2s. Coins that I want to keep that won't go into a Dansco go into Airtites.

 

I give all of my new acquisitions a nice cleansing dip in Acetone or Xylol (xylene) just to remove any biologicals or gunk prior to placing them into a storage medium.

[Kenneth-migration]

I've also had some circulated coins in Whitman folders for many years; like others have stated, they seem to have held up fairly well. I seem to recall someone saying in another thread that the reverse can be discolored by these types of folders. I don't know whether or not this is true, so I don't store my better coins in these folders.

[bsshog40]

I also use whitman folders for my circulated coins and have yet to see any problems with these.

[kevinbuff-migration]

Thank you for responding about the dansco's... Very interesting about the acetone or xylol dip.... Are those mild enough so it 's not really cleaning them? Do you just dip them with tongs and let them air dry, or do you clean and dry them with a cotton cloth?.

[kevinbuff-migration]

Has anybody tried those Kointains yet... I did, and man.... maybe I'm retarded, but I found them very difficult to use.... as far as 2x2's when they are referred to, are we talking the cardboards, or the all plastic flips.

[World Colonial]

In my opinion, the key to storing coins is to isolate them from environmental contamination.

 

All of my collectible coins (as opposed to the cheap stuff that I obtained from circulation or that someone gave me that I do not consider part of my core collection) are either in SafeFlip 2X2s or in NGC, PCGS, or ANACS holders. I do not use any of the other storage methods you list and I do not know whether they are safe or not. I do not collect US coins, so there are no albums that I can use for my collection, or at the least none available for the series I collect. But if I did collect US coins, I would not use a Whitman or similar album unless the coin's surface was already protected (basically because of wear) and/or contained little value. I do not know if the cardboard is harmful to the coins or not (I believe it can be from my observation).

 

Most of my collection is stored in a bank safe deposit box and while my primary reason for this is for security, it is a temperature controlled and low humidity environment which provides additional environmental protection.

 

For my more expensive, scarcer and higher quality specimens, I also store some of them in Intercept Shield holders - the ones that hold the slabs. These are available in a box with 10 holders. I do not use the boxes now because of space considerations but they are also supposed to provide additional protection.

 

I suppose that eventually these storage methods will require replacement and if they do, I will do so. Intercept Shiled specifically mentions that the effectiveness of their holders in keeping chemical elements out deteriorates over time; I'm just not sure how quickly.

 

In terms of numbers of coins, my collection is relatively small for the value. (That is, probably smaller than most but definitely not all.) So I do not mind spending what some people consider to be a lot of money on grading fees or for my storage devices. SafeFlips are relatively cheap (about $18 for 100 with a box) but the Intercept Shields are not. I believe a box of 10 costs about $15.

 

It depends upon a collector's preference, but from what you write, one solution to your "problem" is to get rid of the lower quality material and upgrade your collection. Then you could spend the money to properly protect your coins if you are not doing that now. I sold about 100 coins last year and used the proceeds to buy about a dozen better ones. But I am one of those collectors who would rather have fewer, higher quality, scarcer and more expensive specimens than a larger, lower grade, common and cheaper collection. It all comes down to what your goals as a collector are and what you like.