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 Replies: 27 / Views: 3,590 |
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Valued Member
Canada
292 Posts |
A question for those in the know. I recently rediscovered a string of Chinese coins that had been in the family for well over 150 years. I had set them aside and forgot that I had them  They stretch back a dynasty or two. Currently, they are strung together in a long log formation. If you were me, would you dismantle the string and place all the coins in flips and sort them? Or, would you leave them on the string because they have this nice "ancient" aesthetic? I really don't know what to do. I removed five of them and then stopped myself. Any suggestions? |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
Not in "the know" but with the family history I would suggest keeping them as is.
At least until those "in the know" chime in.
A picture might help you with more opinions.
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Valued Member
 Canada
292 Posts |
I'm inclined to keep them on the string as well, but I'm just not sure how to store them if they're left on the string? Currently, they're just wrapped in mural paper. That probably is not the best preservation method.
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Well, they survived fine this long on a string. Why change a good thing?  The answer to your question is food-grade ziplock bags, the ones which press together and not the ones with the "zipper" you move. I think two layers of those with the air squeezed out of them is about all the protection one needs. The truly paranoid can throw a little dessicant bag in with the item, and in your case that paranoia is warranted. |
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Valued Member
United States
108 Posts |
I'd say keep them on the string
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Moderator
United States
188110 Posts |
I am on the fence. I see the sentimentality of keeping them on the string. However I am skeptical if the string will last another 150 years. Perhaps photos will help me decide.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
The string will degrade more quickly that the coins will.
Unless you wish to fully attribute each coin, put the whole lot in a polyethylene clip lock bag with a small bag of silica gel.
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Valued Member
Canada
292 Posts |
For those who suggested keeping it on the string and placing it in a zip bag, would you recommend placing the entire string of coins naked into the bag, or wrapped in the mural paper before being placed into the bag? I had a coin collector once tell me that the best way to store rolls of coins or logs of coins was to wrap them in aluminum foil. I'm skeptical about this method, but he swears by it.
I'm also wondering where you would purchase silica packs (in Canada).
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2781 Posts |
I would be tempted to catalog & flip them.
it will certainly be of help the next custodian & possibly help preserve them, not to mention they could be easily viewed & enjoyed by all the family members instead of sitting in a closet somewhere.
if shared with younger family members you will create memories (maybe even future colletors) & hopefully a sense of family heritage.
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
It seems there is a 50/50 split on keeping them on the string or........
I would remove them, my concern would be that the string will leave some type of discoloring around the area the string falls on, however if you plan on keeping them in the family, does it really matter?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
604 Posts |
Quote:
I'm also wondering where you would purchase silica packs (in Canada). Since I live in the US I don't know of any local business that would sell them but you can order online from air-tities.com ( here) |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Aluminum foil has a greater affinity for sulfur than silver, which is why it's used in electrolysis to remove toning. How that translates into becoming a storage method mystifies me.
The point of airtight storage is to remove oxygen from the corrosion equation. Although there are reactions which don't need outside oxygen, few happen with standard coinage metals and in conjunction with something to remove any moisture there is no need for further packing. I'd just preserve it on the string as a family heirloom.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
604 Posts |
Quote:
I'd just preserve it on the string as a family heirloom.  That's what I would do becuase I like to keep things in original condition. For something like what you have, the history behind it is more than enough reason for me to want to leave it as is and to keep it in the family for another 150 years. |
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Moderator
United States
188110 Posts |
Quote:
Aluminum foil has a greater affinity for sulfur than silver, which is why it's used in electrolysis to remove toning. How that translates into becoming a storage method mystifies me. Sacrificial? |
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Valued Member
Canada
292 Posts |
I'll definitely invest in some silica until I decide whether to sort into flips or just keep on the string. I'm fairly sentimental by nature and think there's a nice story about how they were strung together a long time ago. Then again, I also quite enjoy sorting, cataloguing and labelling. Too bad I couldn't do both. Here's a photo of them. There's not much to them. They're literally coins on a string.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts |
I don't know about anyone else, but that doesn't look like 150 year old string. It honestly doesn't look like 50 year old string.
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Replies: 27 / Views: 3,590 |
Posted 03/14/2015 2:22 pm
