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 Replies: 7 / Views: 2,089 |
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Valued Member
United States
232 Posts |
Hi,
A coin dealer near me has a couple of boxes or so of used coin folders and albums. I was thinking of trying to pick up an inexpensive old album for some coins.
Do I need to worry about what the clear plastic part is made of? Did they used to be made of PVC? Any issues with old folders?
Thanks,
JP
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2520 Posts |
Good question! I have some pretty old albums I bought because they were interesting. I, however don't feel safe using them. To me, they are just a part of collecting history!
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
G'day, you are right to be concerned about the materials in albums. Even some modern albums are made of inferior materials. Of course, the better stores won't stock that sort of album.
That said, I have an album that I bought in the 1960s. I have stored bronze, CuNi, and silver coins in it. For the last 25 years, the album has been in the tropics - no aircon; high humidity; etc - and everything is fine. I have no idea what the plastic pages are made of - but I know that they were bought decades before we became sensitive to storage issues. All I'm saying is that "old" does not necessarily equal "bad" ...
That said, some people find that their coins have been slimed within a year or two of going into PVC.
Peter in Oz
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Moderator
 United States
187582 Posts |
PVC itself is not the problem. The plasticizers added to make PVC soft are the real culprit. Of course, PVC without the plasticizers would cause a different set of problems for your coins!
If the plastic slides are rigid, then it is unlikely they have plasticizers. Soft plastics, like the clear plastic flips or slides in the old Harco albums, are the ones to watch out for. To me the bad ones look "slimy" and often have a rainbow sheen. Looking at the slime, one can see how it would easy rub off and adhere to a coin!
As for folders, many of the older ones have exposed glue on the backing paper. In my opinion, folders are great for starting out a collection from circulation, but I would stick to albums or 2x2's for your better coins.
My oldest Dansco albums are almost 25 years old now and I have never had any problems with them. There is a member here (Just Carl) that has used Whitman albums (not the folders) for a lot longer than that.
Edited by jbuck
06/03/2009 10:37 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
True I've used Whitman Albums for as long as they made them. Not sure when I started using them but it was a long, long, long time ago. I presently have well over 100 of them and never, ever had a problem with any coins in those. I know some Lincolns have been in those for at least 20, 30 or more years. Since I've been collecting for over 60 years and now starting to easily forget stuff, not sure how old some of those albums are. I think I purchased my first one from some guy living in a cave since houses weren't invented then.  Back to your old albums. For one thing check the brand names and look them over for a possible date on the inside or back cover. Might only be a copy right date but any date is better than none. Don't forget you can contact most Album manufacturers about their products also. For example by a detailed description on any Whitman Product you can contact the Publisher of Whitman and ask for info on those products if it's theirs. Another item is the condition of those albums. If all beat up, may not be worth the problems. In the good old days some albums were not put together well so we had to add glue in places to hold them together. WAY back in the old days we knew nothing about glue except it was glue so who knows what that could do to coins. Next item is how much does he want for them? Note if cheap enough and your worried about the plastic slides, again, a contact of the manufacturers may prove for a small charge you can purchase brand new slides. Have fun and let us know. |
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Valued Member
 United States
232 Posts |
Thanks for the responses, if I see something useful I will get it and let you folks know. I will be wary of soft plastic though.
JP
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Member
United States
917 Posts |
Hi Guys , can I assume I'm reasonably ok with new dansco albums ? I've some beautiful unc's which I want to stay that way , thanks
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
Hi Guys , can I assume I'm reasonably ok with new dansco albums ? I've some beautiful unc's which I want to stay that way , thanks
New Dansco or almost any Album is as safe for coins as you make it. Remember that an Album is not air tight, water tight, light restrictive, etc. They just hold coins in place basically. The materials used today by most manufacturers are made safe for metals so your coins SHOULD be safe. For long storage time with your albums, I suggest placing them in a Zip Lock bag and pushing out as much air as possible. In some areas the humidity, air bound polutants, gasses, etc can seap or leak into those Albums and distroy coins. In other areas where the air is excessively dry, this is not a big problem. An example of this is in the upper Indiana area where there once was an abundance of steel mills, the general area is loaded with Sulfur compounds. As these get into the air they mix with moisture forming and Acid and many people are well aware of what is known as Acid rain. |
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Replies: 7 / Views: 2,089 |
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Posted 06/02/2009 9:51 pm
