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 Replies: 10 / Views: 2,499 |
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12817 Posts |
So I picked up a few half dollar and quarter dollar coin tubes from Hobby Lobby for storing my 64 Kennedy's and pre-65 junk quarters in something other than amorphous baggies/piles. Easier to stack, more efficient to store, etc. They are made by H.E. Harris & Co./Whitman Publishing, are clear tubes, and have screw caps. I didn't see any thing on the package regarding safety, PVC, or non-reactiveness. They're pretty solid but I don't want to tarnish some of my nice Kennedy's if there are chemicals that will leach out of the plastic. Thoughts?  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
Good question CelticKnot, I also have bought from HBl and my local coin store and wondered about the same thing. Is there a cut off date for
PVC holders, albums, 2X2's ? This is a broad question but any knowledge would help.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I believe coin storage tubes are made from acrylic plastic, so there is no PVC in them.
For the purpose they are perfectly safe for the storage of bulk coins.
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Moderator
 United States
188026 Posts |
Even if these were PVC (I doubt they are), their rigid state would indicate that plasticizers are probably not being used (I say this because I do not know what is used to make PVC transparent).
PVC on its own is rather stable (for example, your plumbing). It is the added plasticizers (which make PVC soft and pliable for use in flips and album pages) that are deadly to coins.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Actually, uPVC (unplasticised PVCV) products are common. An example is uPVC piping, used in domestic sewerage and stormwater plumbing. This stuff has white TiO2 in it to make it opaque.
The problem with PVC album pages is that they have a plasticiser included, to make the material soft. It is the plasticiser that gasses out over a long period of time, to recondense on the coins.
That is why it is best to use non PVC archival quality album pages.
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Moderator
United States
188026 Posts |
Quote:
This stuff has white TiO2 in it to make it opaque Ah, so something is added to PVC to make it opaque. I had always thought it was naturally rather murky and something was added to make it transparent. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I've been using them for possibly as long as they have been made, many, many years. Way back they didn't even have screw on tops, just press on. Never had a problem with any coins in any of them. I know some coins have been in them for at least 20 to 30 0r more years. Sure wish I'd have put dates on the top of when I first used them. All coins in all of them look the same as the day I put them there. One thing I do though is tape the tops with 3M clear tape. Difficult to reopen but well worth the trouble.
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12817 Posts |
Great, thanks for all the input! Not a day goes by that I don't learn something on this site!
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1723 Posts |
CARL - Does this ring true for copper and steel? Using the hard plastic tubes for long term storage of copper and steel Canadian pennies? Will they still look brand new 20 years from now? I realize this is an old thread but ya gotta do a bit of research instead of starting a repeat thread  Edited by samsnate
12/31/2013 11:32 am
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Clear acrylic plastic has been been used for faucet handles.
It is a cheaper option, but the plastic is subject to accumulated mechanical stress, and so can crack in this application after a number of years.
I have seen mechanical crack damage with the acrylic press together type of coin capsule. Those cracks can result if the coin is taken out of the capsule too many times. Screw capsules are less likely to fail in this way.
Nevertheless, an acrylic container, be it a capsule for an individual coin, or storage tube for multiple coins, will never cause chemical damage to a coin of any metal, that is contained within it.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1723 Posts |
Perfect...Thanks Sel for the confirmation |
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Replies: 10 / Views: 2,499 |
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Posted 01/14/2013 5:14 pm
