Storage Of Coins And Tools

Hey Matt,
The non-plasticized 2x2 flips are sufficient for most coins. For your more cherished and/or valuable coins, I do like the airtites. They are a great long term storage vehicle. Just remember not to sneeze or breathe on your coins prior to their "encapsulation". Your basic 10x loupe should be sufficient for most coins. Variety searching, you may want to go higher. I have a good scale but it slips the mind at the moment. Ill post the name here :-)

I own a far amount if silver ASE. They get stored in Airtites. Than for extra safety go into Rubbermaid containers with desiccant packets to help keep the moisture out.

Good question. I don't have that answer. How would one find out? Non-Plasticized?

How to Test for PVC

I found this information pretty use full.
http://www.canadian-numismatic.org/ <------ Have to give credit to canadian mumismatic
Just make sure the plastic contains no PVC or polyvinylidene chloride, Cause it will leave a film over the coins thats tough to get off. I made the mistake of storing all my pocket change in metal coffee cans. I thought I was sure to find some nice coins after a couple of months but when I went back to look for High Grades and Errors the coins were being eaten alive by the coffee cans. AAAHHHHh what a lesson that was. SO hope the below helps you anyone else the pain that PVC causes.



Beilstein Test
The Beilstein test is a simple chemical test which is used to determine whether a plastic contains PVC or polyvinylidene chloride. To carry out the test you will need a small propane torch and a copper wire (a penny could also be used). Copper by itself burns cleanly but produces a green flame (copper chloride) when combined with a compound containing chlorine ( e.g., PVC)

Steps:
Heat the copper wire in the flame of the torch until it burns cleanly. This serves to burn off any unwanted residues that might be on the wire. Make sure that you hold the wire with pliers or an insulator to avoid injury. Touch the hot wire to the holder. Some of the holder will melt and be stuck to the wire. Be sure to hold the holder close to the air intake of the torch in order to draw away the fumes from the burning plastic. Put the wire back into the flame. If the flame bums yellow or clear, no PVC present. If the flame burns bright green, then some PVC is present.



Stretch Test
For the stretch test, pull on the plastic and determine how easy it is to stretch it. The tear test is similar. Try to tear the plastic film as you would a piece of paper.

Steps:
Polyester (MylarTM) hard to stretch hard to initiate a tear; once tear begins material tears easily; tear has a rough edge

Polypropylene easier to stretch than polyester hard to initiate a tear; once tear begins material tears easily; tear has a clean edge similar to cellophane

Polyethylene easier to stretch than polyester hard to tear tends to tear in directions

Polyvinylchloride easier to stretch than polyester moderately easy to initiate a tear ragged tear edge

Polystyrene hard to stretch easy to initiate a tear; clean tear, but not straight

Cellophane hard to stretch easy to tear

Cellulose Triacetate easier to stretch than polyester fairly easy to tear; tear has "smokey" edge



Burn Tests
Take a small sample of plastic and place it in a pair of tongs or tweezers. Ignite the sample and observe the resulting odor and rate of burn. Please be sure to carry out these tests in a
well ventilated area while burning the plastic film over an ashtray. Avoid inhaling the fumes as they may be toxic.

Polyester (MylarTM) faintly sweet melts, burns slowly, beading back without dripping; leaves an ash residue.

Polypropylene burns slowly, beading back without dripping.

Polyethylene + odor like burning candle wax fairly rapid; melts and drips like wax

Polystyrene odor like marigolds melts into a clear liquid

Polyvinlidene Chloride pungent extinguishes itself when removed from the flame

Cellophane burned newspaper does not melt, drip or form beads; burns the same as paper; continues to burn when removed from flame

Cellulose Acetate mixture of burning paper and acetic acid burns slowly when removed from flame.

I've heard that Rubbermaid is made of LDPE. Recycle symbol #4. What you really want to stay away from is recycle symbol #3, which means it has PVC in it.

I've been putting coins in those cardboard type flips for as long as they have existed. I've been collecting coins for well over 60 years now and so far no problems doing that at all. I keep all of them in those Whitman Red two roll cardboard boxes and again, no problem.
I seldom use staples on them. I usually just place a piece of clear tape on the edges. I don't like the plstic flips since you have to slide the coins in and out whereas with the cardboard ones they just open. I have many proofs in those and some for many, many years and nothing happened to any of them. EVER.
I don't worry about PVC since that is sort of an over kill by people lately. I don't think anything usable for coins is made with PVC anyway. I never use Silica gel packs either. I keep most of my valuble coins in safe deposit boxes in banks. Any coins in my house are in the basement and I have a dehumidifyer on all year long. Does a lot more than possibly hundreds of gel packs.
Many of my coins are in Albums and each Album is in a Zip Lock plastic bag. A few are in double ones since those are the ones I like the most.
I still have my first coins from when I was a kid and they still look like they did then.
If you want to get carried away with preservationing, you may well in up with ulcers.
It's a hobby, have fun.

What about Kointains? How are they for storing coins?