| Author |
 Replies: 7 / Views: 1,280 |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
797 Posts |
Is there any harm done to older circulated coins that are stored in the type of holders/albums that have a "punched-out" type of spot to put the coins in? I figured the new ones were ok, but what about ones purchased years ago...is there any long term storage problems with older coin albums/books?
(Kind of thinking along the lines of how people were using PVC years ago and then coins left in there were damaged over time. Now mylar and other materials are used that are deemed safe.)
|
|
|
|
Valued Member
United States
280 Posts |
are you taking about the folders or albums? if your talking about albums, I don't think they should cause problems, I have heard that old Whitman albums cause toning but other then that albums are good. as for folders, I have personally never used them but I know that they are not as protective as albums, cause if you drop a folder all the coins will fall out.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
Depends on how you feel about toning? All papers (cardboard included) contain varying amounts of sulfur. This has a small effect on copper/nickel, and a greater effect on silver. I personally like the looks of a rim-toned silver coin. Some of the old Waite-Raymond folders did some spectacular work on silver coins placed and left in them.
Of course some folders (like the Whitmans) can impart surface rub on coins. The slide in's with acetate protection front and back are much better at protecting the coin between.
I wouldn't place a gem unc coin in any album. To preserve the original surface, put these in airtites.
Edited by SeatedNut
11/09/2009 2:45 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
797 Posts |
Yeah I guess I am really talking about folders. My friend has some Seated Liberty coins, some morgans, Peace dollars, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes, etc. They are almost all stored in the folders. Aside from the fact that they can fall out of their punched out spots in the folder, is there any real harm being done to the coins (some have been in there decades). They were his grandfathers coins and that is the way his grandfather stored them. So they have some sentimental value by keeping them in the folders that he had used, but if that is not a good idea for long term storage then he wants to do something better. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I think I've said this many times. Folders are manfactured with a process where the glue is spread on a sheet of paper. Then the slotted cardboard is placed on that, allowed to dry, cut to shape. The glue is still on the back of the slots. Kids usually love this since many of their worn coins would fall out but they just wet the coin with spit, and it rejuvenates the glue and presto, the coin no longer falls out. Even if stored in a high humid area, the glue tends to attach itself to the coins. Many people ask about some of those darkened lines on the reverse of coins they find. Usually those were in those folders at one time.
As to Sulfur in the material Albums are made from. The best way to disprove this is to simply contact the manufacturers of those products. What you hear on the internet is usually just hear say and usually proves to be in error. If you contact Whitman and ask about Sulfur in their products and don't trust the answers, tell them your recording this conversation for posting on the internet. Don't think they'll lie about their products if being recorded. You could do the same with Dansco, Littleton, etc. and they all have toll free numbers so it wouldn't cost you anything.
And I do use all Whitman Albums and I did contact them about possible Sulfur in their products and they sort of laughed at that as just silly. Give them a call.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1418 Posts |
I had an old Kennedy album from the 80's and they all tones, even the non silver ones.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
797 Posts |
I think the ones he had were mostly made by littleton, but not 100% sure. I remember some of them saying "archival quality", which at the time they were made might have been the best but I didn't know if older archival albums from 20 or 30 years ago would still be acceptable today.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
I think the ones he had were mostly made by littleton, but not 100% sure. I remember some of them saying "archival quality", which at the time they were made might have been the best but I didn't know if older archival albums from 20 or 30 years ago would still be acceptable today.
Remember that items made 20, 30 or more years ago were made with different standards than today. If you go far enough back even Lead in paint was OK so China is just in the past, not being mean at all.  Paper containing Lead, Sulfur, possibly many other substances as fillers since not many realized over time the damage to coins that would be possible. And even if manufactureres knew, most possibly thought this coin collecting craze will just fade back to a few hear and there so no big thing. |
| |
Replies: 7 / Views: 1,280 |
|
Posted 11/09/2009 2:43 pm
