Storing big/oddly shaped medals

Huh, gave me an Idea. I got some Mahogany I pulled from a 1950's house. It would make a beautiful Cabinet. Maybe a few or more custom drawers.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

This is one of the few cases where the 19th Century methodology of displaying coins might prove the best. Remember the term "cabinet friction" that used to pop up in auction descriptions in the 40s and 50s?

A lot of coins were kept in cherry or mahogany cabinets with 15 or 20 drawers about an inch high. They were lined with velvet or other such material, and the coins were simply laid on the velvet in whatever pattern or order seemed appropriate. Not perfect, but decidedly low-tech; for moderate security, folding doors on the front of the cabinet could be locked.

Library of Congress could probably furnish copies of blueprints for a nominal fee. You can probably find wide, shallow plastic drawers in the marketplace, and only have to construct the outer cabinet, still a big job. Another possibility is oversized Wayte Raymond pages. And if you're brave, the recessed top of a customized coffee table; AFAIK, there weren't any Eastlake coffee tables, but the fussy, ornate style somehow seems appropriate.

 

Huh, gave me an Idea

Make sure it's not laminate. The glue could wreak havoc with anything metal. It would be unusual to find mahogany lumber in a 1940s house.

 

Most of the houses built around here from the 70's and earlier. Had Mahogany doors, Solid Case, Base, Cabinet face frames and in the house I remodeled Had solid wood Book cases. It was built in 68.

 

I trust you are not talking about "lauan" mahogany, which is a far cry from cabinet wood. If the OP builds his own storage system, he might as well utilize cabinet lumber and have a real showpiece that lasts a lifetime.

That also opens the door for repurposing, like using the cabinet of a 1900s victrola as the outer casing that you make drawers/trays to fit. Just a thought:



I had every possible woodworking tool you could think of, until I was about 40, then I sold it all and became an apartment-dweller. Glad to see this thread has generated a LOT of response.

 

It would be a fun project. That's a neat Idea, using a Victrola.

 

I'll take a few pictures later.

Some are in airtites. Some are standing up on plastic stands in a display cabinet (antique so no new wood/glues etc). Some are in an old 'button chest' lying flat (those I put in the 4x4 non-pvc flips if they fit).

I recently experimented with NCS for some that needed conservation and went ahead and 'slabbed' them. I regret that part now--they will be a bear to crack out which is what I'm leaning towards. And, it's kind of ugly for medals.

I also have a bunch temporarily in airtight kitchen containers as I have them in my basement which can't be a good environment for them.

I used to have some wall mounted cabinets that my woodworking stepfather made for me. They are lovely but the glass fronts got broken in a move and honestly I'm not so sure how 'healthy' they were for metal.

I had my earlier collection in long term storage (military) for 4+ years--I left them in my in-laws (now my) basement in an airtight plastic container with as much dessicant as I could fit. All survived perfectly that storage event.

Nothing seems to be turning except one silver plated medal got darker, which has been so gradual I'm not sure I can pinpoint the environment.

 

With the victrola, you don't have to "make" drawers, although the alternative wouldn't suit the average impatient perfectionist. Walmart sells "drawers," LOL. They are, um, aluminum cookie sheets, 11x16 x ½ inches a typical size, polished aluminum that you put a suitable fabric into, to avoid metal-to-metal contact. About $3 each, or buy a case at Overstock.

OK, just for today, no more weird ideas.

 

Maybe use them as paper weights all across the house. That way you get to see them all the time JK

 

Hi Paul, I use a Cherry wood chest to store my Medals in. I have sacrificial copper cents, and moisture absorbtion packets in the drawers with the medals. I like to have them, so I can handle them when I want. Check every now and then, and coat them with Verdi care. I haven't noticed any major toning so far. Had this chest about a year now. ebay has a lot of these. I paid around 100 for this one.

 

I love this cabinet! What are the dimensions of the cabinet and the drawers? Did you cut the foam yourself, or did it come that way?

 

I like it a lot. I had the same problem storing large Medals. The dimension's are ,Chest;18inches wide, 12 inches deep,9 inches tall. Trays interior; 10 inches deep, 15 inches wide. The Velvetine linings were there already. The countersunk area's are about the size of a silver eagle.