WYNK post - coin flips

[MorganMan]

In reading the What you need to know post on inherited collections, I read a line that has always bothered me.

 

In the article, he says that 2X2 flips are subject to scratch a coin since they can get a grain of dirt and slide around.

 

That brings me to the question:

 

Most grading services require coins to be sent in UNSECURED (ie...not stapled, not taped) flips. I have always wondered how much damage could be done to lets say a gold MS coin in the shipping phase sliding around in the flip. Has anyone come up with some sort of packaging that will not allow the coin to slide around? The return trip back does not matter, because they are in a slab that holds the coin snugly.

 

MM

 

Added: I know that making sure the flip is clean is required, but most of us do not own a "cleanroom".

[MunkyMan95]

I just bought a raw coin from Shawn Yancey, and his packaging was very nice. It was in one of the clear 2X2 flips, and inside the flip was a small cloth pouch, and inside the pouch was the coin. TomB does this also. I don't know about grading companies accepting this, but it seems to work very well for person to person transactions.

[cpm9ball]

MM, whenever I ship a coin or coins in flips, I always place the flips in the self-sealing, corrugated cardboard mailers. After you've sealed it, you can press down around the perimeter of the flip and this should prevent the coin from moving around inside. Once you've done this, you can put the mailer into an envelope, shipping box, bubble mailer or whatever else you choose. These self-sealing mailers can be purchased at many places including www.jpscorner.com

 

Chris

[Wihlborg]

What I do is put the coins in SafTflips and stack them one upon the other into a manageable pile. I then use two rubber bands going across all four sides of the flips to secure them together.

 

The tension of the rubber bands pull the edges of the flips down slightly and prevent the coins from moving around in them. I have been using this method for years and have never had a problem.

 

John

[pendragon1998]

I would suggest that if you're placing a higher-grade coin into a flip, you use a brand new one and not a used one. Also, I'm pretty certain that you're able to (at least) ship an unopened mint set to the TPGs and let them crack it themselves. I haven't shipped a coin to TPGs myself, however, so I'm not completely up to date on their policies.

[Wihlborg]

Michael is absolutely correct. I never re-use a flip for any reason. Its cheap insurance compared to a ruined coin.

 

John

[pendragon1998]

I might also add that I don't like to remove coins from flips by sliding them out again. I worry that this might put slide marks on the coin, particularly as it goes past the (often) slightly rough mouth of the flip's 'pocket'. Instead, I take a pair of scissors or an exacto knife and (very carefully) cut the flip open.

 

Of course, I rarely use flips. I don't like their basic design, which lets the coin flop around inside the flip. Coins have also been known to just slip out altogether, especially smaller ones. Nope, I'm definitely a cardboard 2x2 user (and those have their own set of problems)

[Wihlborg]

Michael,

 

I also don’t like flips for long term storage of coins due to the reasons you listed. In fact the only time I use them is when sending raw coins in to be graded. All of my raw coins are kept in either albums or cardboard 2x2’s that are then placed into three ring binders.

 

John

[pendragon1998]

Something I've always wondered about was whether the vinyl pages used for storing cardboard 2x2s in 3-ring binders were safe for long-term storage. I have all of my 2x2s in hardboard boxes from JP's Corner. It would be pretty nice to have them all in a binder so I could more easily look at them, but - Lord willing - I'm around in 60 years, will I see PVC damage from the pages?

 

Edit:

 

Answered my own question. Apparently some are PVC-free (made of polypropylene) and archival safe, at least according to the advertisement at JP's Corner

[Wihlborg]

Apparently some are PVC-free (made of polypropylene) and archival safe

 

Yep, I use the PVC free pages. I have hundreds of coins of all metal compositions stored in three different binders and after at least ten years of storing the coins like this I have never had a problem with any of the coins.

 

John

[TomB]

I may be the only one here who does it, but I reuse 2x2 flips since I keep my coins in Kointains and only then put them within the flip.

[Wihlborg]

Then that doesn't count!

 

 

 

John

[MorganMan]

I may be the only one here who does it, but I reuse 2x2 flips since I keep my coins in Kointains and only then put them within the flip.

 

Thats "double flippin'"

 

MM