Should I Redo All Of My Coins In New Stapled Cardboard Flips?

What you have observed is the phenomenon known as solvent transference. And yes, it does (effectively) mean that the album you've used is made of PVC. But importantly, the flips are not PVC and any that haven't actually turned all sticky should still be OK.

The thing that causes "PVC damage" to coins isn't actually PVC. Polyvinyl chloride, in it's "raw" form, is brittle and translucent. To make it soft, flexible and transparent like a coin album page, they need to add plasticizers. The plasticizer of choice is usually some kind of phthalate, because phthalates work and they're really cheap. Phthalates themselves are not harmful to coins, but to make a phthalate, you need lots of sulfuric acid, and there's always some residual sulfuric acid sitting behind in the phthalate when they add it to the plastic. It is possible to obtain "phthalate-free PVC" and coin holders made of such a substance ought to be perfectly safe, but it's usually a lot more expensive than non-PVC-based alternatives like Mylar. So as far as coin storage is concerned, PVC = phthalates = sulfuric acid on your coins.

So, why has the film of your not-made-of-PVC 2x2 holders gone all sticky in contact with PVC? It's solvent transference. In effect, some of the plasticizer - the phthaltes - has migrated, over time and accelerated by heat and pressure, moving out of the PVC album page and into the surface of the mylar film. Some of the acid has, potentially, migrated with it. The phthalates generally get stuck on the outer surface of the 2x2 and don't make it all the way through to the coin, so in that sense it's "mission accomplished" for the 2x2 - it did its job and protected the coin from invasion by the evil acid-bearing phthalates. But the 2x2 is now not only ugly, but is now all sticky to handle and difficult to take in and out of an album page, even if the new album page isn't made of PVC. So yes, those affected 2x2s really do need to be replaced once your PVC album pages have been disposed of.

Some dealer's I've met don't seem to care that the PVC stockbooks they use make their 2x2s all sticky. One fellow I know even hands you a plastic card when you sit down to examine his albums, so you can prise the coins out of his albums more easily. It's not a good look for a business, but I assume they don't have the time / can't afford to re-house all their 2x2s. His coins are (sometimes) cheap, but that's offset by the need for me to re-house the coins in my own 2x2s when I get home. And I'm sure he's had nice coins which I've overlooked simply because the 2x2 looked ugly or wouldn't come out of the album.

to the Community!

it's always very important to put a sheet of photocopy paper, or similar, between each and every page of your album so that the overlapping page cannot make contact with page below. And, if possible, always have your album(s) standing upright.

It's usually the $1 and $2 coins that get a tarnished/slight discoloured look on them which,I think, can ruin them.
Even a light wash of each coin with soap then a good rinse in luke warm water, then pat it dry, and a polish of the coin with the inside of an old soft T shirt after breathing on the coin as though you're cleaning you're glasses. A gentle light polish works well.

Hope this helps.

Hondo Boguss

this is very much an interesting and important subject.

I avoid using acetone on $1, $2 and silver coins. Unless you're very careful, the coins can easily become discoloured/tarnished.

I store my coins in 2 x 2's in Anzac biscuit,or similar size, tins which are the perfect size and height - 18cm x 26cm x 7cm high - and holds around 250 upright coins in 2 x 2 's.

The base of each tin is lined with a sheet of photocopy paper.
Each of the coins has a small piece of photocopy paper slightly smaller than the 2 x 2's in between them. Each of the rows of coins has a piece of thin cardboard between them to keep the rows of coins in place. Each row of coins has a very small amount of play and never too tight.

I write the above as a result of some very ordinary outcomes when I first started putting coins in 2 x 2 's into albums 50 plus years ago, eventually discoverinng that putting a piece of photocopy paper between each page of the album stopped the album pages from " sticking " together, and discolouring/ruining a few too many good coins. Then started having the albums standing upright.

Reflecting back on all those years ago, I realise trial and error will eventually lead to ideal outcomes, with no more loss of good coins and a lot of money.

Using the tins has kept the coins inside them in perfect condition.

I know that used to be the case but I think that it has changed in recent years.
The J.Burrows copy paper that I get from Officeworks is promoted as being 'acid free'.

Square & Coaster..just be careful,lots of the paper,especially the cheaper stuff is being imported now the Oz. Vict. plant has closed.

Jungle out there.


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02...ll/101973646