Coin Supplies

Why would you want to keep a thousand pennies. I have been collecting for over 50 years and realized I was becoming a hoarder. I had coins I had not seen in years. The higher prices that was realized in the 70-80s still have not returned. Those prices were because people had money to spend and wanted the coin. Today the average person buying coins looks to CTA and looks to the silver,gold,nickel or copper value as a back up. I am now clearing out culls and selling on ebay at over their collectible value for their metal value. I say all this say buy supplies to maintain your collection. Remember that you are striving to have the best you can afford in your collection. Sell the rest to continue buying the best. This cuts down on the amount of supplies needed and you will be able to focus on what you really want. LOL

Somewhere along the line you missed out on something in this hobby. It is called FUN. For many this entire hobby is for FUN, not profit, not show and tell, not for a future investment, not to impress anyone, just FUN. I've been collecting coins for well over 60 years now and I do it for FUN.


You stated YOU ARE but what you really mean is I AM. Yes most want the best they can afford, the best for looks, the best for just FUN. Again though, why should anyone sell the rest of anything they have if they really are doing this hobby for FUN.
I'm well into over 100 Albums and many are duplicates. 12 Mercury dime Albums for instance. SO WHAT? It is Fun.

I have to agree with Carl, I collect just for the fun of it. I have way too many coins. Many I probably haven't viewed in 10 years. But eventually I will get around to examining everyone one of them.

16K+ Wheats are currntly in coffee cans. World Coins are piled into 2 boxes with about 50lbs in each.

Exactly what I've been saying for well over 60 years. Way, way back when I first started all this I said to myself, SELF, someday I'll recheck every single coin of mine just to see if I missed someting. Now with well over 3,000 Mercury dimes alone, I wonder when I'll start that.
One more cheap suggestion for storing coins is to cut your own paper for rolling. High grade paper for printers that stipulate photo quality is safe for coins too.

Avoid glass. There are too many ways for it to break, and then you've got a BIG clean-up problem. Some people use big water jugs, forgetting that coins are about seven times as dense as water, then they go to lift one and the bottom falls out.

Do use thick plastic or metal. Some of my favorites:
nut cans, which have the bonus of those nice plastic tops
46 oz (V8) cans
Countrytime jars, which hold $100 face in silver nicely

I totally agree that this hobby is for fun and I have enjoyed it for close to 60 years. My brother has thousands of Wheaties and mercs as well as others. He has a room which was bedroom in which he has his coins. The closet is full of coins of all descriptions. It is fun to hoard and collect but I thought the question was how to keep the cost of supplies and use of space to a minimum.

They're good indefinitely if the windows are mylar, which is waterproof, oil proof, and even heat resistant. Some off brands use a soft plastic which includes softeners which can leave residue on your coins.

If you're not sure, use a blunt pointed item like a pen and poke a hole through the window. Plastic will stretch a little before breaking, mylar has a crisp snap.

Completely wrong. If you do not know the exact type of plastic a container is made from it may well be PVC or other harmfull types to metals. Coins are metal and some plastics emit gasses that ruin coins. And never use a metal container to store coins for long times. Direct contacts with dissimilar metals creates an electrical charge and although small, pending the type of metal, it can lead to the coins distruction. Glass is about the safest product that will not creat problems with coin storage although bulk coins in a container of any type makes for the possibilities of scratches due to rubing togetere.
And yes 2x2 flips can be used for long term storage. Many people have had coins in them for many, many years and no problems.