Mahogany Coin Cabinet (Advice From Anyone Who Has Actually Used One)

I have been hoping to merge two of my favorite hobbies, coin collecting and wood working, by constructing a custum built coin cabinet out of solid mahogany at some point in the future.

My plan as it stands is to use kiln dried solid mahogany wood, water based finishes and no felt. I will place each coin in an air tite capsule (I am aware they are not airtight and even slabs are somewhat permeable).

I know that many of you have reservations about wood cases and I totally respect your opinions and understand the gassing problems even in a stable wood like mahogany. However, my questions are aimed at those members who have actually used a wooden coin cabinet for an extended period of time.

Did you use air tite capsules with your case?

Did you notice any toning from the case on your silver coins either inside or outside an air tite?

How long have you kept your coins in a wooden cabinet?

Did you take any other measures to protect your silver coins?

Thanks everyone!

 

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Unfortunately, I can't offer the perspective you're after, having not used one. But I would also suggest not using glues if you can avoid it.

 

Thanks, my strategy will be to use all wood joining techniques as much as possible (pegs, dovetails etc.) I have been doing some research into archive safe glues and I think I could eventually find something that would work if used in a limited capacity. I'm not decided on that point yet. Thanks for the feedback

 

There are certainly glues out there with very low out-gassing. We use some at work for gluing IR filters directly onto lenses. Not sure how well this specific kind of glue would work with wood. At the end of the day, how do you determine the product you have made will not affect the coin surfaces? People using them would also have to consider the environment the cabinet/holder is in. Florida during the summer is much different than someplace like Albuquerque. Heat and Humidity could cause differing affects on how the coins react to the case.

 

I think research research research will be my strategy before I decide on the final material list. Right now I haven't started the blueprints yet (I'm an engineer so I can't not have blueprints ) so I still have plenty of room to customize design to fit the function. If I decide to use glue at all I'll keep it to a minimum, only use archival safe glue, and will contact the manufacturer before I use it.

This project might end up being a fun reason to dig out my chemistry and material science textbooks again

I also intend to test the cabinet out on one or two sacrificial silvers for a month or two. All in all I think the whole thing will turn into a fun experiment.

 

Oh, I also remember there are archival, pre-made cabinets out there, if you just want the look and feel, and you don't mind wood veneer rather than solid wood and not making it yourself.

 

I think you should plan to temperature cycle and fluctuate humidity during your test cycle. This will help to draw out any negative affects you might encounter. You might also want to seal the cabinet in something that will contain any gasses that would affect the surfaces. The point would be to help simulate the long term affects in a shorter period of time.

 

Would like to make it myself. I'm moving to a new place where I have space for a good wood shop and I'm excited to take on some new challenging projects like this. It's been a while since I've been able to build anything.

 

Nice. If it was me, I would build a nice, hardwood desk... For my coin grading and future photo setup.

 

Whichever way you go, I wish you luck and look forward to seeing pics of the cabinet, or even of the work in progress.

 

I would avoid the temptation to use a mahogany plywood for the back or anywhere else. Plywood (well, the formaldehyde glues used to hold it together) is a main source of outgassing.

 

Definitely good advice. I think solid is the way to go as well. I should also mention that the cabinet itself will be almost exclusively my ancients collection housed in ring type air tites. My modern collection (post 1750) is in a 2x2 binder. Although I would like to have a drawer for my ASEs and that is where my caution on the toning issue comes in.

 

Look for materials and adhesives that are NAUF certified. I'm not sure if this would make them archival safe but it would certainly help the cause.

 

I totally get what you are saying and it all makes perfect sense. I know there are a lot of folks who would never put their collection in a wooden box and I 100% respect that and understand why.

However judging by the number of custom cabinet makers out there advertising coin cabinets I would estimate that there are a fair few who continue to use mahogany wood due to its elegance and beauty. I was hoping to get some feedback from this group on their experiences. The combination of air tites and less gas may well lead to an acceptable result in practice even if there is an inherent risk in theory.

Plus a lot of great coins spent centuries in cabinets in Europe and pretty much all of my ancients have spent 1000+ years buried in the ground exposed to all kinds of imperfect conditions.

 

I use a wood display box that originally had state quarters in it from the Morgan Mint. Its either Cherry or Mahogany and ive had no problems in 4 or 5 years of it being in use. That said i keep a couple few dessicant packs in there and ONLY put slabbed coins in it. I just like the looks/presentation of it as opposed to an inert plastic box. Next thing i would strongly suggest is you NOT use glue/pegs/biscuits to join the pieces together. Simply spend $30 on a Kreg pocket screw system for your joints. They make very sturdy joints and can be used on just about any thickness of wood.

 

Are you sure it's solid wood and not wood veneer?

 

This is my cabinet at home and I know that there has been coins in here since at least the 1940s. The old Whitman albums on the top right have been in there since the albums were new and I don't see any affects that gassing off may have caused. I live in New Orleans and we often go over a hundred degrees and have very high humidity. I know that some cabinets could have ill effects, but I haven't seen any evidence here. I did have to do a repair to the door when I moved in a few months ago, so I did some research on safe glues to use. I found that guerrilla glue was as safe as they come and had the strength that I was looking for as well.

 

I've used this machinist's chest since the early '90s for my coins. I have always used some form of airtight holders, and I've only recently (within the past 5-6 years) started using desiccants in each drawer. I haven't had any problems so far, but I would recommend keeping it in a room where there is little temp/humidity changes.



A couple of coins that have spent the last 25+ years in this chest......
Bought from the mint......

 

Thank you @Kirkuleez and @AcesKings this is the exact kind of feedback I was after. Do you know if your cabinets are solid mahogany?

I really like the set ups btw.