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 Replies: 27 / Views: 3,004 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1005 Posts |
It would perhaps be easiest with CO2 since it's heavier than air, but a steady stream of gas around/into the airtite when you close it would do the trick.
I think I would probably put a block of dry ice in a bucket, wait for half an hour, and then slowly do everything in the bucket so you know the CO2 is not mixed in with oxygen/H2S from the atmosphere. It's 44 g/mol and if it's just a sublimated vapor it's also going to be much colder and denser than the atmosphere.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3327 Posts |
All interesting ideas and I know we're just speculating here, but you need to remember that CO2, N2 and Ar are all wet gases. Even if you take every precaution when filling the slab with them, you will introduce moisture. Also, CO2 is a corrosive gas unless perfectly pure.
Helium would be a great insulator, but it will escape through the most microscopic breaks in the seal - you just can't keep it encased unless you have multiple layers of a welded, impervious material.
I've always wondered what would be the best way to store coins in a pristine environment, and I keep going back to vacuum sealing. If you double seal and keep a qualitative check on it, that may be the most workable solution. I'm interested in hearing everyone else's thoughts on the subject.
"Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1005 Posts |
It's a good point that these gases would have a lot of moisture. Which makes me think that doing it cold would be best, so that most water would condense out like in the vapor space above dry ice or LN2. The goal is just to be drier and more inert than the atmosphere, which is what the coins are in now.
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Moderator
 United States
189053 Posts |
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You'll probably enjoy them more in a Dansco album, but the down side is they could get damaged, especially sliding those album windows across them leaving hairlines. You only do it once and you do it very carefully.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
The 2x2's mentioned in the earlier post are just the common ones that we all use.
NO way they are airtight.
What is done is to make is to make an airtight envelope out of the food grade acetate sheet, and put that inside the 2x2 flip.
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
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Stick them in a nice Dansco album or equivalent. Albums are actually one of the worst ways to store coins. They're surrounded by and directly in contact with a lot of garbage that is part of the album and coloring and cardboard etc. Then you have the slide, glues, having to push it in and out and so on. Albums are better than folders, but they're both terrible overall especially on toned coins. Quote:
NO way they are airtight. Nothing on earth is actually airtight. The PCGS water resistant slabs are about as close as we are going to get from a single holder. |
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Moderator
United States
189053 Posts |
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Nothing on earth is actually airtight. Truth.  Some things just slow the air movement down better than others. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1959 Posts |
I second sel_69I,
I'm not a fan of slabs, but, I got burned when I was younger with storing MS Morgan's in cardboard 2x2s. I put them away for a few years. When I got them back out to look at them, a lot had developed carbon spots. I still have them, and they are still there. They are more likely to be preserved in a somewhat static state if they are left in the slabs IMO. This is one of the reasons I still don't prefer MS collecting. I prefer mid grade coins.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5246 Posts |
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There's more to grading than just simply wear or counting marks. Yes, I oversimplified that, but what I really meant is that the grade should not, in theory, change whether it is taken out of the slab or not. That is, provided that it is not handled but kept protected. But then I suppose that being kept in the slab provides quite a bit of protection. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1005 Posts |
If the grade on a slabbed coin has a star or + or something to indicate exceptional eye appeal/toning, that grade can change if the coin is taken out of the slab, allowing it to proceed to less attractive or terminal toning.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6392 Posts |
I'd agree on leaving the coins in their slabs, but you should also keep the slabs in a closed space (like a safe or safe deposit box) with active desiccant. Maintaining a dry environment is your best bet for keeping the toning stable.
Eagle brand 2X2 coin holders are supplied with inert Mylar "windows" which do a good job of shielding raw coins. The holders themselves can be "welded" shut at the edges using nail polish, giving you a pretty tight seal. Eagle also sold me some aluminum desiccant packs that work well and can be recharged in an oven. I keep one in a safe deposit box and two in my home safe.
Hey, how about sharing some of your choice toned Morgans? Pictures are always welcome!
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
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Yes, I oversimplified that, but what I really meant is that the grade should not, in theory, change whether it is taken out of the slab or not.
That is, provided that it is not handled but kept protected.
But then I suppose that being kept in the slab provides quite a bit of protection. The grade yes if not changed at all which generally albums will. Liquidity and value will likely be lost though. As far as protection yes some of the slabs like PCGS are very good protection. The NGC one is good too, but the PCGS one is actually water resistant so that gives it the edge protection wise in my opinion. Regardless of what anyone thinks of grading protection wise it is hard to argue against the PCGS/NGC slabs |
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Replies: 27 / Views: 3,004 |
First Page
Posted 02/19/2019 4:19 pm
