Hi, I was wondering if anyone has ideas of where I could get a plastic or metal shelf for my coin folders/albums/books since the only safe wood shelves are quite expensive I believe since it has to be out of solid mahogany and such. If there is a link on Amazon you could send that would be preferable.
I'm assuming you want a shelf or two mounted on your wall or just to lay on top of a desk . If you have a Lowes or Home Depot near you they will have anything you want . BTW a wooden shelf doesn't have to be Mahogany , almost any wood will hold up to the weight if properly installed .
T-BOP mentioned "weight" which was the first thing that came to my mind. Coin accumulations get heavy VERY quickly. IMO plastic would NOT be a good choice. Metal would seem reasonable. But there are any number of wood shelves that could easily do the job. Look around for second hand furniture places; could get something good for not much money.
Not keen on the idea of a shelf for a coin collection. A larger coin collection can be quite heavy, and thus a shelf mounted to a wall could be pulled out of it's wall fixings, unless those fixings are directly attached to the timber framing behind the wall. You will have the borrow or hire a stud finder to locate the studs behind the wall.
That is why books are stored in a cabinet or on structurally independent shelving as in a library situation. Cheap independent shelving can be bought from a store that sells flat pack furniture.
The other major problem for storing a coin collection on a shelf is that is on obvious display for an intruder or home invader to see. My collection is stored out of obvious sight.
Quote: and thus a shelf mounted to a wall could be pulled out of it's wall fixings, unless those fixings are directly attached to the timber framing behind the wall. You will have the borrow or hire a stud finder to locate the studs behind the wall.
Yes, you'll have to screw the shelf brackets thru the wall and into the studs, and if you have painted drywall you can simply find the stud nails with a small, strong magnet
The reason I was talking about wood is because I heard you need solid mahogany wood or other wood that are deemed safe for coins and that wood just stained mahogany obviously doesn't have the properties of actual mahogany wood. Because certain woods and how they are treated can damage your collection. Otherwise I would perfectly fine buying a wooden shelf.
Well if you want to follow this guys advice , a real Mahogany shelf (S) is going to cost you a pretty Penny , pun intended . How much weight are you estimating your books ,albums and coins to weigh ? What ever wood you use , just do not stain or paint it . Leave it natural.
Quote: Because certain woods and how they are treated can damage your collection. Otherwise I would perfectly fine buying a wooden shelf.
If you read that article closely the guy is more talking about the stains and finishes you put on wood than the actual wood type itself. I take it he likes dark wood so he chose mahogany and puts just a water based sealer on it. If you like a lighter colored wood shelf use oak or maple. If you like a darker colored wood shelf use the mahogany or black walnut. And just seal them with the same type water based sealer. Just don't use wood that has been stained a different color than it naturally is.
I think when I meant shelf I meant closer to like a bookcase. I was wondering where I could buy one that I don't have to do work to. It doesn't have to be wood it could be a metal one. Basically something I would have to just assemble the parts and not have to do anything to them after.
Quote: The other major problem for storing a coin collection on a shelf is that is on obvious display for an intruder or home invader to see. My collection is stored out of obvious sight.
I like this one
EHAPk97Mp5s
By my favorite safe company Fort Knox.
"Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector.
That shelf is super cool. I like the security by obscurity aspect of it, and it's really well done. Very "Kingsman" like.
Personally, I have a giant, bolted-down safe for all the stuff I don't want to walk away, but the downside is that it's harder to get to those collections you want to view every once in a while and enjoy when it's all locked up. You just have to strike a good balance of livability, enjoyability, and security when it comes to safes and your collections.
Lock up your precious metals for sure, and your expensive coins. Me, I display my modern US coin albums on a bookshelf. Yeah, I'll lose some good money (pun intended) if they walk away but I'm ok with the tradeoff for accessibility.
AND, as much as we loathe to do it, you have to spend money on your collection besides the actual collection. You get to a certain dollar value and insurance becomes a serious consideration. You have $1k in Ikes? Why wouldn't you spend the money to give them the display they deserve (whether it's a Dansco album, a Lighthouse mahogany box, etc.) Safe deposit box for your AGEs? Perhaps. Or a razor wire perimiter around your house.
Security is a very personal matter and the options are limitless. You just have to do what is right for you. Lots of experienced folks here for input, but again, at the end, it's your call.
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Posted 01/28/2021 5:39 pm
