I use 1x2 polyethylene zip envelopes from walmart for small coins or gemstones, mineral samples , etc. They have them also in larger size such as 2x3 too. The smaller sizes are about 1 cent each. I write on them with a extra fine sharpie permanent pen. Not classic, but inexpensive. Sometimes for 2x2 type of albums, I use one as a liner for the individual pockets.
I'm trying to figure out the difference between SAFLIPS and regular flips. The pictures don't make it at all obvious. Can anyone help.
Clipped from Aug2010 post by Krispy: Safgard are Mylar, [/FONT][FONT=arial, Helvetica]a brand name for Dupont's BoPET Polyethylene Terephthalate film which is the best, safest material you can use to preserve your paper collection. from company: SafGard manufactures currency collecting supplies of the highest quality. Archival safe, inert currency holders suitable for long term storage for all valuable banknotes. Manufactured by the makers of KOINTAINS and SAFLIPS under rigorous conditions to keep them free of oil and machine dirt. These currency holders are used by some of the largest museums and paper money dealers to house their extensive and priceless currency holdings. Regular flips can be vinyl (PVC). The old kind were heavily plasticized and had a "shower curtain smell", but then they reduced the plasticizers to a very low level ( cracks easier),~Walmart has odorless shower curtains now, but still PVC~ but is less chance to transfer to a coin and initiate damage, Many no-name flips are made of this to sell cheaply. Some large dealers use them for shipping as softer and less chance of abrasion of scratching through shipping. Most stick a label identifying it so the coin can be transferred by the new owner.
Thank's Desertgem. Based on what you say it sounds to me as though the SAFLIPS are really not a whole lot better than the non-PVC flips, but are better than the PVC flips (which no one should be using anyway). Would you say that is correct?
I use Saflips when not using hard plastic, They should be very safe unless the manufacturer changes formulas.
Besides being very inert, I also use Saflips because the rigidity of PE makes it much easier to slide the open flip in-and-out of the 2x4 Album pages that I store my Ancients.
I only use saflips for my coins. Dealers often use the softer pvc flips, so I always transfer the coin to a new flip when I receive it.