I did a search for coin storage and didn't find a specific answer to my question, so here goes: I'm looking for a means to preserve my bullion coins (silver eagles, maples, etc) so as to prevent tarnishing, corrosion, etc. I currently have them in PVC-Free Airtites stored in a cardboard box along with some 3M anti-tarnish strips. I just bought a FreeSaver vacuum sealer along with some of the plastic containers. So, I'm thinking of vacuum sealing my coins, in their air-tite containers, for ultimate preservation. One of my containers has a 7 in the triangle, which is a polycarbonate (BPA). An another of my containers has "SAN" in the triangle, which is Styrene Acrylonitrile. My questions: Will either of these damage my silver? Are they flawed like PVC plastic? (Reminder: they're not in direct contact with the coins) Thanks for any responses! P.S. I know this is probably overkill, but it's how I do most things. lol
I wouldn't be too worried about the polycarbonate. The SAN may give off vapors when warmed, I'm thinking, that could tone your coins. If I had coins I wanted to keep from toning (which I do), I would place them in standard plastic tubes (either the original 20-coin green-top silver eagle tubes, or else good aftermarket tubes) and then wrap these in aluminum foil. The aluminum will not only help prevent air from reaching the tube, but it is also pretty reactive, and any contaminants will react with the aluminum before they have a chance to reach your tube. If you wanna go ultra-ridiculous, you could then take your foil-wrapped tubes and place them in your air-tight, vacuum-sealed bags. That should keep your coins untoned for a couple of thousand years.
Thanks for the reply. Awesome idea about the aluminum foil. I think that I'll go ultra-ridiculous Incidentally, I received a roll of uncirculated silver eagles in the green tubes and upon inspection, there was some wear (primarily on the breast) that I wasn't too happy with, so in order to prevent this for other coins, I moved them all to airtites.
I found several posts on this forum stating that the foodsaver bags are required, by law, to be PVC free. I was hoping to store them in the containers so I can look at them and easily reseal them when done. I'll use the bags until I can verify the SAN and #7 are safe!
Just for something to remember regarding the mention of using aluminum foil. The idea of using aluminum foil is probably older than most here. Many old timers, in an effort to prevent their rolls of cents toning would first wrap the roll of coins in aluminum foil and then insert that into the paper roll. Now this would do an excellent job. However, there is always an however, if by chance any moisture, even from excessive humidity, got to the paper roll - it would create a chemical reaction between the copper cents and the aluminum foil causing the cents to corrode. So it was no tuncommon for these old timers to open the rolls, often years later, and to find they had a mess on their hands. So - if you try using aluminum foil for coin storage - extreme care must be taken. Or you'll end up with that same mess.
Thanks for that nugget of wisdom. That would make this my ultra-mega-ridiculous plan: Place coin in air-tite container. Place coins in food saver bag. Vacuum seal bag. Wrap interior of foodsaver container with aluminum foil. Place sealed bag in foodsaver container. Place 3M anti-tarnish strips in container. Place dessicant packs in container. Put lid on container. Vacuum seal container. I doubt that I'd go that far, but it'd be kind of hilarious.... or sad. lol
I would add some silica dessicant inside the vaccum bags (which mitigates GDJMSP's well-founded concern over moisture)....Mike
Just don't accidently put it in your deepfreezer next to Uncle John's pond raised catfish from last summer, also wrapped in aluminum foil and ran through the seal-o-matic. I can totally understand trying to protect an investment on higher dollar coins, but doesn't that seriously detract from the overall enjoyment of collecting as a hobby? Don't friends think you're nuts when you invite them over to look at bags of tin foil?
Is is the best there is right now. period. so if you are living in a high humidity environment thats a no no
