Poll: do you like my new flip design?

Discussion in 'Ancient Coins' started by Severus Alexander, Feb 15, 2018.

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How do you like my new coin flip design? (poll is anonymous, you can check up to two options)

  1. As good as bacon, will you design one for me?

    15 vote(s)
    30.6%
  2. Pretty cool.

    27 vote(s)
    55.1%
  3. Will do the job.

    6 vote(s)
    12.2%
  4. If you can't say something nice, it's better to say nothing at all.

    2 vote(s)
    4.1%
  5. Yecchhh.

    1 vote(s)
    2.0%
  6. Umm... it looks like the monogram says "sex."

    6 vote(s)
    12.2%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Any suggestions for improvements? (Ignore the coin description, that's just filler.)

    Screen Shot 2018-02-15 at 12.01.25 AM.jpg
    Screen Shot 2018-02-14 at 11.58.15 PM.jpg

    And here's the monogram coin by itself. See all the letters of "Sev Alex"? A bit anachronistic to use a Byzantine style monogram for a 3rd century emperor's moniker, but I do collect Byzantine after all...

    Screen Shot 2018-02-15 at 12.04.35 AM.jpg
     

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  3. zumbly

    zumbly Ha'ina 'ia mai ana ka puana

    I like it. It definitely does the job. I like the monogram (even though since you planted the thought, I can only see it spell 'sex') and the addition of the short notes. Before I got lazy and converted to the use of paper envelopes exclusively, I also included purchase and provenance info on my tags.
     
  4. Ryro

    Ryro Trying to remove supporter status

    Very slick! Looks like something you'd find emblazoned on a shield and banner right before a major battle... Did you get the idea whilst looking up at the sky???
     
  5. randygeki

    randygeki Coin Collector

    Yeah, looks pretty good!
     
    Severus Alexander likes this.
  6. David Atherton

    David Atherton Flavian Fanatic

    Cool design that would look even better embossed on paper envelopes. ;)
     
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  7. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    Looks great! I’d go a step or two lighter with the monogram’s gray though. It would improve readability of the overlying text.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2018
  8. gsimonel

    gsimonel Well-Known Member

    I agree. And you might consider going with a non-serif type, such as Arial, over the monogram. I think that would help improve readability.
     
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  9. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

    Okay, I guess I'll have to be the bubble-buster!

    While the appearance is nice, have you considered if there would be any long-term effect from the ink on the surface of each coin?

    Also, some larger coins would hide part of the printed description which means that someone looking at the coin would have to tap the edge of the flip to get the coin to move out of the way. Wouldn't this cause wear to the coin?

    Chris

    PS. There isn't an option in your poll that I felt was appropriate.
     
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  10. Bing

    Bing Illegitimi non carborundum Supporter

    Mine is similar except I do not have the additional information on the back. Good idea, but I don't think I want to do them all again. It just adds time to my cataloging which already seems cumbersome.
     
  11. IdesOfMarch01

    IdesOfMarch01 Well-Known Member

    I agree with this suggestion but I have to admit that I find this "monogram" to be a little too busy for my tastes. A true monogram -- i.e., just 2 - 3 initials -- might be worth trying. Simplicity is the essence of elegance.
     
  12. Treashunt

    Treashunt The Other Frank

    No improvements.

    Can you do all of my coins?
    Do you have a year or two available?
     
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  13. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Very cool.
     
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  14. Carausius

    Carausius Brother, can you spare a sestertius?

    I strongly suggest adding provenance information to the tag, which could be important to future owners or at time of resale. You could put this either on front or back of tag. If space is a concern, then I'd eliminate the background information on the tag back and replace it with provenance. The background info, while interesting, is not critical for a coin flip. Provenance information is critical, IMHO, and becoming more so as legal environment evolves.

    I believe these are 2-pocket coin flips - coin stored in one pocket, tag (with ink) in the other pocket. Ne'er the two shall meet in the flip. However, I had your concern with using printed tags for my Abafil trays. My solution was to cut Mylar windows out of coin flips and place them between coin and tray tag.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2018
  15. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

    I agree! I just couldn't tell if he was using the same pocket for both the coin and the printed matter.

    Chris
     
  16. Ken Dorney

    Ken Dorney Yea, I'm Cool That Way...

    A good question. Since various ink manufacturers likely use different formulas (and consider that most inks are produced in China) there likely is no way to know what will happen in the long term. Ink usually reacts with plasticized flips in about 10-20 years or so (sometimes sooner). I just received a coin this morning stored in such a flip for about 20 years. Hopefully you can see the reaction in the ink in this photo:

    IMG_1967.jpg

    As a double pocket flip it wasnt in contact with the coin of course, but the coin was indeed in contact with the flip. Some may have experienced where the coin will begin turning green and take on a 'sticky' feel to the surfaces. This one was no different but a quick swipe with water and cloth fixed it up nicely. Moral of the story, plasticized flips are just fine for short term storage and for shipping by dealers, but they should be replaced with non-PVC safety flips:

    IMG_1968.jpg
     
  17. Severus Alexander

    Severus Alexander find me at NumisForums

    Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, everyone!! And for the frankness and honesty too; as well as the lies when you voted for "as good as bacon." :) Note that the info on the back side is primarily for showing the coins to interested non-numismatists. They can browse a bit and have a quick look at the back for interesting tidbits, usually historical ones. (This coin is a bit of an exception in that regard.)

    @zumbly and @Carausius, on provenance: I have way more info about each coin in my database, including detailed provenance where available. The ID# on the flip picks out a unique database record; I also have any associated paper (receipts, tags, etc.) stored in an envelope with the ID# on it. But I will include any interesting provenance info on the flip.

    @David Atherton and other other envelope fans: Yes, I see the attraction of paper envelopes! In the end I opted for flips for two reasons 1) the envelopes don't look so great in my trays when I want to show them off in groups ;), and 2) I can't see the coins when I want to quickly browse my collection on my own. (See this post for the boxes/trays combo I use.)

    @TIF and @IdesOfMarch01, on lightening up the monogram: Thanks for the suggestion! I should experiment more with this. The screenshot of the flip design is 23% opacity, I also tried 15% opacity and it was too light. I should try something in between. (Note that it is lighter on the actual printout, the screenshot is misleading.)

    @gsimonel, a non-serif font on the back: great idea, thanks for the suggestion!!

    @cpm9ball @Carausius: Carausius is right, they're double flips so there's no ink<-->coin contact, and the insert is easy to read by flipping the coin side out of the way. @Ken Dorney, I've had the same experience with old Pegasi tags! These are non-plasticized PVC flips, which I believe are safe.

    @IdesOfMarch01, on the monogram being too busy: Thanks for your frankness, much appreciated! I came very close to including "too busy" as a poll choice. :) I totally agree, something like @TIF's awesome monogram would be great. Here are some basic ideas from a shutterstock search (though I like one of my own better):
    Screen Shot 2018-02-15 at 10.35.19 AM.jpg

    On the cons side, the more elegant monograms look weird and too modern on a coin, and I would really like to put it on a coin, at least for some purposes. Plus I like the Byzantine reference (see here for some sample Byzantine monograms). I am still torn, though! :confused:
     
  18. Hispanicus

    Hispanicus Stand Fast!

    Severus,
    It's a cool monogram that adds a level of graphic interest and branding to your flips. I would consider reducing the tone a bit so that its is more of a background element. Definately keep the typeface, it provides personality and flows with the historic nature of the flips contents.

    Lastly, the monogram would be great in a pair of silver cufflinks. (ok, I'm dating myself, who still wears shirts with cufflinks?)
     
  19. TheFinn

    TheFinn Well-Known Member

    It's just a mylar flip, right? How did you improve it?
     
  20. Carausius

    Carausius Brother, can you spare a sestertius?

    I too have a database with detailed info on each coin and similarly maintain number-coded records. The trouble is, if something happens to me (or you), our respective families will likely not know to access the database information or the separate paper. In that scenario, you'll have tags with descriptive information that any collector or dealer could determine for themselves; but the one bit of information that they need from you will be lost (from who/when did he/she acquire this?). Thus, my goal is to always keep the provenance with the coin. For my smallish tray tags, I have provenance info on the back of each tag. I also keep a numbered flip (with a longer tag/provenance description) in a box with dealer and collector tickets. Note that I do a lot of historical provenance research on my coins, often with lucky results, that can add value to a coin. Maybe that increases my desire to preserve the records, but we should not discount the ever-changing laws and the impact they might have on future collectors. For their sake, even a minor retail provenance could prove valuable in the future.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2018
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  21. TIF

    TIF Always learning.

    I agree with Carausius. While it is visually appealing to keep the flips uncluttered, my concern is that a separate database might never be reunited with the coins should something happen to me before I've properly prepared.

    I printed my vanity logo to business cards. The cards have to be trimmed a bit both in length and in width, and then folded in half. The rigidity of the card makes insertion into the flip easy and it forms a tiny "book" in which I can insert related ephemera, old tags, etc.

    For example, I can safely tuck away this old BCD ephemera with the coin:
    [​IMG]

    Example of the business card insert (different coin, obviously :D)
    [​IMG]

    Recently I redid everything using computer-printed 1.5" x 1.5" adhesive labels because I didn't like the messy handwriting. In some cases there is too much to write on just one label. When that happens I put the basics on the main label (the one that shows under the coin, and paste another label or two inside the folded card. I love it when the pedigree is so extensive that it takes three labels :D

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Anyway, this is drifting away from Sevvy's questions. Sev-- I generally like clean and uncluttered logos and designs, but in this case your monogram has its roots in numismatics so that makes it very cool. Yes, the era is slightly off, but it's still quite clever and fun. I like it :) The outline of the coin on the ghost logo might be unnecessary though.
     
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