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 Replies: 14 / Views: 3,657 |
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Valued Member
Pakistan
207 Posts |
Hey again, all!
I have another question that becomes somewhat specific considering my circumstances.
Generally, as I understand it, storing a coin can be done in 2x2s, in folders, in albums, in slabs, as well as all sorts of specifically designed boxes and containers.
My problem is that, as I may have mentioned before, where I am currently living, there isn't really any major coin collectingness. I am suspicious that there would even be a single shop anywhere here dedicated specifically to the hobby of coin collecting.
So I have no immediate access to 2x2s, or folders or albums, or any of these other specialised containers, and ordering them through Pakistan post has its own issues (not to mention that albums are usually country specific, and I collect world coins).
So what I am asking is that can anyone suggest alternate methods of storing coins?
I collect world coins, mostly those in circulation, so I have nothing older than the 1940s. However, I have over 700 coins (although only around 250 coins of each unique type for all years, and if push comes to shove, I don't mind just storing those 250 or so in "proper" storage, and having the rest in something less than optimal). Sizes range all the way from about 13mm to 32mm.
At first I had thought of using a Photo album, so I went to the stationery store, but they had the kind of albums with the sticky transparent plastic sheet (which I definitely didn't want for my coins), and ones with the whole page covered in a transparent plastic sheet open at one end (which wouldn't work, because the coins would all be loose and fall to the bottom of the page).
Besides all this, there was the fact that none of the photo albums mentioned what the transparent plastic covering was made of...PVC or something else (and of course, the store clerk had no idea).
I don't really have any problem with space, so the storage can be large with no problem. However, I'm something of a miser, so I'd rather not have to custom build an entire piece of furniture to house my coins.
Any help and suggestions would be appreciated. Right now all my coins are in country specific piles on my desk, and that really worries me...
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
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Moderator
Australia
16817 Posts |
Hmm. If you're reluctant to order 2x2s by mail and have no local supplier, and a custom-built coin cabinet seems excessive, then I'd suggest improvising. Back before plastic was invented, paper envelopes were a common storage method. If you have a source of small coin-sized paper envelopes available, they might work - they don't look pretty and you can't see through them, but you can keep the collection relatively organized. The other drawback with paper envelopes is that they don't completely protect the coin: sulfur in the paper can discolour and tarnish coins kept in them.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5172 Posts |
I "store" almost all of my coins (except for those I bought already in 2x2s) in tiny plastic "zip-lock" bags (mine are around 5 by 7 centimeters (or 2 by 3 inches), but something like 4 by 6 cm would probably be ideal). They're not exactly the best thing of that sort, but they're probably better than just piles on the desk - and have enough other uses that you're likely to find some in a general store. They're also relatively cheap (especially if you buy 500 or 1000 at the time - and you can easily buy 1000 even if you need less than 800 for your coins as they really have plenty of other uses). Fun fact: I've actually seen these advertised as "jewelry storage" so it's not that much of a stretch to use them as coin storage  they're also almost always polyethylene, so little chance of PVC problems. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
You could try making your own so called 2x2's or equal.
Try looking around for sheets of Mylar types of plastic. Just make sure they are not PVC types or contain PVC. There should or could be a hardware type store that carries such items. Then you would need a stapler and some thin cardboard. Now simply cut the cardboard and plastic to whatever size you want. Then just fold the cardboard with the plastic on the inside in half, place coin in the ceter and staple shut on about 3 sides.
The only problem with the above is you can not see the coins. So you would have to add info on the cardboard with a pen as to what is inside.
Of course if you had access to the right tools, there are things called hole saws. They are used with a drill to cut large holes. With one of these you could take lots of those pieces of cardboard, fold them in half, use a hole saw to cut circles out. Now with the plastic in place, place coin inside the folded cardboard with the plastic protecting the coin and staple shut.
IF you could make enough of these and find there are other coin collectors in the area, you could possibly start making lots of those and sell them.
Or try ordering some from here in the USA to see what happens.
There is an old Sailors saying. Any port in a storm.
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Valued Member
 Pakistan
207 Posts |
The ziplock idea and even the small envelope idea actually sounds feasible. I'm not sure I could trust myself to make my own 2x2s.. But in the good news, I'm getting a visitor from the US in August, so I'd only need to figure out something till then! Now to figure out if those tiny envelopes contain sulphur. Sulphur burns blue, right?  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
But in the good news, I'm getting a visitor from the US in August, so I'd only need to figure out something till then! Now to figure out if those tiny envelopes contain sulphur. Sulphur burns blue, right? It's not just Sulfur that may create problems. If your area recycles paper, what you end up using may well be made of almost anything on Earth. And as long as someone is going there is August, just wait for that. Not much could really go wrong in two Months. |
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Valued Member
Canada
178 Posts |
The small ziplock type bags mentioned above would work well. You'll just have to ask a local drug dealer where they get theirs.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1227 Posts |
I'd go ahead and wait for your visitor to bring you some bags or flips. In the meantime, look for sandwich bags. At home I use a quart-sized Ziploc (sandwich baggie) for my world coins pulled from circulation; anything I get that's not from the US or Mexico goes in the bag. Someday when my nieces are older and not liable to swallowing things this is going to be a "pirate treasure chest" for them to play with and hopefully get them interested in both coins and world history, so I'm not super-worried about the condition--the main drawback of such a big bag. In your case condition is obviously an issue, but if you throw the coins in a few baggies, put the baggies in a drawer, and leave them alone until your visitor arrives, the baggies will protect against dust, damp, etc.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
863 Posts |
I would use small baggies. you can get a lot for a pretty good price. than you can staple them to something and put them in a binder. make sure you use thick baggies and paper so they cant fall out
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Valued Member
Pakistan
207 Posts |
I finally got my flips and a euro coin album as well! The euro coin album is a bit weird, instead of a cover or something to place the coins under or inside of, it has these circular "depressions" where you have to push the coin inside of. This means that it is very difficult to get the coins out (especially without scratching the edges), and so you'd never be able to see the other side of the coins. It is difficult to explain properly, so here is a pic:  Still, I've put collection in, although it didn't have separate slots for the the same coin with a different map, nor for any commemorative coins. I've also got 300 2x2 flips, although since I asked my friend to bring them and till now, my coins have gone from less than 300 to 400 unique coins... Before I start stapling and storing my coins...people here talk a lot about flattened staple staplers (I am forgetting the exact term for them just now), my question is...why? if the staple itself is not touching the coin, and when stacked in rows, the staple in one won't touch the coin part of the 2x2 next to it, why does it matter if the staple sticks out a bit? Does it matter? Is there something I'm missing here? Thanks! |
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Someone else would have to comment on if this would damage the coin or not. But what about getting a sheet about the size of a piece of paper and laminating a bunch of coins on it they just punch some holes in the side and store it in a 3 ring binder making your own album
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Pillar of the Community
United States
507 Posts |
Hi Babar,
In USA we would call that a coin 'folder' rather than a coin 'album'.
The folders are made from cardboard and have the holes where you press the coin in and see only one side. Another downside is that you might get fingerprints all over the coin pressing them into place. There's also concern there might be chemicals in the cardboard or glue that affect the backside of the coins.
Coin 'albums' have the sliding windows so that you can see both sides of each coin.
The difference is that albums cost $15-30 compared to the folders costing $2-4. Folders are fine for beginning collectors or low-value coins. Albums look nicer for higher value coins.
As for staples you are thinking of 'flat clinch' staplers. The primary concern is that the staples will damage other coins. Even if you think this isn't possible, it can still happen if you keep your coins in boxes and lift them up one at a time, or hold a bunch in your hands and sort them like playing cards. . .
I don't have a special stapler but use a regular stapler and then use pliers to flatten the bulges. It adds a bit of time but you only have to do it once.
I recently saw a dealer with a loose tray full of 2x2s, and the coins were all damaged and marked because the staples weren't flattened. :(
-wheatiefan
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3184 Posts |
babar, pls post pics of your collection! I'm sure its nice since you are in pakistan and amassed a cool collection
As for staples, even when they are stacked next to other coins, they can still scratch the coins behind them and damage other coins.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
As already stated there are many problems with Folders. The reason it is sometimes difficult to push coins into those slots is the shape of the slots. Usually they are made so they are tapered. By this I mean the top of the slot is smaller than the bottom or the part of the slot nearest the back. This is great for holding in coins though since once in place, they seldom fall out. In most of these Folders, there is a shine to the back of the empty slots. This is glue left over from the mass production methods. Usually kids like that since if they have a coin that is so worn if falls out, they spit on that glue, it reactivates and holds the coins in place. Unfortunately it also messes up the rear of the coins.
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Replies: 14 / Views: 3,657 |
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Posted 05/24/2012 05:53 am
