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 Replies: 9 / Views: 9,288 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
HI everyone,
I just recently bought online some "Archival" coin flips. I was expecting Mylar, which I know is totally inert and archival-quality. But I received instead a stack of "Unplasticized Vinyl (uPVC)" which is supposedly "Free of Oils and Pasticizers."
Are there actually archival-quality and safe to use for long-term storage? (Honestly, given that PVC necessarily has plasticizers in order to actually be PVC, the notion of inert PVC sounds as ridiculous as non-dairy cow's milk.)
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Moderator
 United States
187446 Posts |
Quote:
Honestly, given that PVC necessarily has plasticizers in order to actually be PVC, the notion of inert PVC sounds as ridiculous as non-dairy cow's milk. This is not true. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipes and other rigid PVC products do not use plasticizers. PVC is naturally hard, rigid plastic. The plasticizers are added to make it soft, flexible, pliable. The plasticizers are what allows the chlroine to leech out of the plastic to react with our coins.  However, you are probably right to be skeptical. I wonder what was used to make this "safe" PVC soft and how does it make the chemistry stable.  |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12250 Posts |
Give this page a read: PVC, uPVC and PET (Mylar) FlipsIt should answer your questions. You'll find that while uPVC is a good choice for long-term storage, Mylar (R) is still better. Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3499 Posts |
jbuck & commems- Great! Thank you very much for the help!
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
The best approach would be to use Mylar coin flips, and put them in less flexible archival quality album pages.
The material used for archival quality album pages can be Mylar or clear Polypropylene.
Both materials are a lot less flexible than the older PVC, in the thickness needed for use in album pages. Polypropylene album pages do not have any plasticiser included in them.
Co Polymer is commonly used in banknotes. Perhaps this material could also be used in the manufacture of album pages. I guess it would depend on how well it can be welded.
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
Simply stay with Mylar and never worry. Your coins expect you to take care of them.
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
I agree. After reading the link commems posted, seems best to stick with the Polyethelyene Teraphalate (Mylar).
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Valued Member
United States
366 Posts |
Thank you for this information!
Was going to buy uPVC but thought to search for any guidance on the subject. Obviously my search landed me here. Happy I took a second to look for a comparison of uPVC vs PET.
~JobIII
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
jbuck has said it exactly right.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1648 Posts |
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Replies: 9 / Views: 9,288 |
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Posted 08/24/2017 6:12 pm
