| Author |
 Replies: 14 / Views: 3,347 |
|
|
Valued Member
United States
111 Posts |
 Recently, I've heard of a new storage method in which collectors store their collections in plastic tool/hand boxes. Such a tool/hand box is found here: http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10...blockType=L3 What I want to know is, do you think these contain PVC?
|
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
672 Posts |
Yes they most likley have some in it, but to my understanding PVC is toxic to coins when it touches it... not from being arround it. As long as your coins are in tubes you should be fine IMO. Feel free to correct if wrong.
|
|
Valued Member
 United States
111 Posts |
Thanks Americanamafia!  That should make my friends feel better and safer. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3345 Posts |
What if I wanted to store my raw coins for a very very long time, i.e., decades? And I didn't get them slabbed?
|
|
Valued Member
United States
424 Posts |
No, that's wrong...the PVC emits a gas and will damage your coins.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
672 Posts |
Thats what I was not sure of... exactly how many VOC's are given off by PVC. I stand corrected, but if you in sealed tubes you still should not have a problem.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
I doubt that a toolbox would be composed of PVC(polyvinyl chloride- #6 plastic), it is not really a suitable plastic for that type of use. I just checked three toolboxes I own and they are all polypropylene(#5 plastic) which is a very stable plastic and safe for coins. There are two types of PVC- rigid and soft. Rigid PVC is quite stable. If it wasn't, it would not be commonly used for water piping applications. Soft PVC is what you do not want around coins. To make PVC soft and flexible, a group of chemicals known as phthalates are used. Over time, the phthalates can leach out of the plastic which affects the stability of the PVC. The leachate will form an oily green sheen on the high points of a coin when it is in a PVC flip and in the presence of moisture, hydrochloric acid can form- that is the primary cause of PVC damage on coins.  Edited by biokemist6
05/06/2011 12:51 am
|
|
Valued Member
United States
111 Posts |
As far as I know, all of their raw coins are in coin tubes, 2x2s, or inside another metal box. The tool/hand boxes they have are very strong and durable, not soft and flexible. Obviously, once their collections grow, they'll move it elsewhere, so they'd only be in the tool/hand box for a few years, not decades.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
I use a Plano tackle box, can't remember the model number, but it holds 2x2s perfectly; and has a good closure, so it won't spill the contents. Next time I get it out, I'll look for that number ...
BioKemist: would be the number in the triangular arrangement of bent arrows ?
Peter
|
|
Moderator
 United States
188560 Posts |
Quote:
Rigid PVC is quite stable. If it wasn't, it would not be commonly used for water piping applications. Soft PVC is what you do not want around coins.
To make PVC soft and flexible, a group of chemicals known as phthalates are used. Over time, the phthalates can leach out of the plastic which affects the stability of the PVC. The leachate will form an oily green sheen on the high points of a coin when it is in a PVC flip and in the presence of moisture, hydrochloric acid can form- that is the primary cause of PVC damage on coins. This is very important to know and understand. So important it needed to be quoted so everyone would read it again. |
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Quote:
BioKemist: would be the number in the triangular arrangement of bent arrows ?
That would be correct. Resin Identification Codes are standardized worldwide. |
|
Valued Member
United States
424 Posts |
Polyvinyl chloride is resin ident. code #3. You can just Wikipedia it. Is Polyvinyl chloride the only plastic that uses phthalates?
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Oops, that was a typo on the number keypad  #6 plastic is polystryrene, #3 is PVC. It is not really the phthalates or other plasticizers that is the issue, the chloride part of polyvinyl chloride represents about half of the mass. Chlorine ions reacting with water is what leads to the production of hydrochloric acid. |
|
Valued Member
United States
97 Posts |
are david halls soft slabs from pre-PCGS safe?
|
|
Valued Member
United States
111 Posts |
Quote:
are david halls soft slabs from pre-PCGS safe? Typesetmaker: I think you should start a new topic for your question. |
| |
Replies: 14 / Views: 3,347 |
|
Posted 05/05/2011 7:38 pm
