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 Replies: 34 / Views: 5,794 |
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New Member
Canada
12 Posts |
I am a casual coin collector, and I have been collecting coins for about a year. A couple of days ago, I found out about PVC and what it can do to coins. It turns out that the coin albums that I've been keeping most of my collection in have PVC. Luckily, none of my coins have started to corrode yet. From what I've heard, PVC causes some sort of gel to form on coins before they corrode. Is this gel obvious, or is it sort of hard to notice, and if so, what should I look for? If I have any coins with gel on them, what should I do with them? Also, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a brand of coin album that I can use to replace mine.
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
 to the Community! You will want to get those coins out of the album and rinse them with pure acetone (100% pure, from a hardware store, not nail polish remover). Acetone will remove any organic residue and not harm the coins. You can soak them in acetone first and then rinse them off with fresh acetone. Dot not rinse with water. The acetone will air dry faster than water and anything other than distilled water will leave impurities behind as it evaporates. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6508 Posts |
 with jbuck |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2520 Posts |
Quote:
From what I've heard, PVC causes some sort of gel to form on coins before they corrode. Is this gel obvious, or is it sort of hard to notice, and if so, what should I look for? I had some coins in plastic flips containing pvc. The smell of (plastic I guess) was strong and the coins had a tacky/sticky feel to them. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Can you give us the brand name of those coin albums for our YN's to whatch out for ?  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19120 Posts |
Tell us the name of the albums you have been using so we avoid recommending them.
Edited by ijn1944
07/20/2021 3:28 pm
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New Member
 Canada
12 Posts |
Thanks everyone for your help. I will make sure to rinse the coins with acetone. Quote:
Can you give us the brand name of those coin albums for our YN's to whatch out for ? The albums' brand was AiTime. I can post a link to its Amazon page if you'd like. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
How did you find out they had PVC? |
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New Member
Canada
12 Posts |
Quote:
How did you find out they had PVC? When I found out what PVC does to coins, I checked the Amazon page where I ordered them from to see if my albums had it and it said they did. It claimed PVC was safe for coins, but evidently, that's not true. |
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
PVC on its own is not the problem. PVC in it native rigid form, like that used for water pipes, is quite safe. The problem comes from the plasticizers added to PVC to make it soft and flexible for coins. Over time it breaks down the PVC polymers and creates the 'goo' that attacks our coins.  So to paraphrase Ben Kenobi... What they said is true, from a certain point of view. PVC may be safe, but it this application (with the additives) it can be quite deadly for coins.  |
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New Member
Canada
12 Posts |
Interesting. Thanks for the info.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
You are most welcome.  |
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Valued Member
Canada
57 Posts |
Further to this subject...how does one determine if the cardboard 2x2's are PVC or not? I have some old ones, ten years or more, and new ones.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
I have never personally seen a cardboard 2x2 that used PVC. They have been made with MylarŪ (BoPET) or other polyethylene plastics as long as I can recall, but others may have some experience with past PVC use in them.
I would guess that PVC in a 2x2 would have the same "shower curtain" smell and be thicker and less "crinkly" than MylarŪ.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
999 Posts |
The blue/brown Uni-Safe albums contain PVC. I had these as a kid and they wrecked a lot of my copper coins. It wasn't really an issue with silver or nickel coins. They continue to sell these albums and people continue to buy them as they are the cheapest ones available for Canadian collectors and it is easy to get coins in and out of them. A number of years ago I upgraded to the Kaskade albums when they first came out. They are a little more expensive, but nicer looking and a lot safer for coins.
From my experience cardboard 2x2's have not been an issue. I've seen coins that have been in them for 40+ years and they still seem completely fine.
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New Member
Canada
12 Posts |
Quote:
A number of years ago I upgraded to the Kaskade albums when they first came out. They are a little more expensive, but nicer looking and a lot safer for coins. I'll check into these. Thanks! |
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Replies: 34 / Views: 5,794 |
Posted 07/20/2021 2:50 pm
