Cardboard Holders

I would like to start a discussion about cardboard holders with the mylar cover that contacts the coin.
Any and all input is appreciated.
Ben. Tampa FL

 

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What exactly do you want to know?

 

Opinions, experiences, advice, most anything, etc...

 

Cheap & economical way to store your "not so best" coins. Just make sure that after you staple the holder closed, you clamp the staples down with a pliers.

 

I am going through my collection one coin type at a time, and putting them in these "flips" as I was told they are called.

I found what is called a "Flat Stapler", at an Office Supply Store, called "Staples" here in Oklahoma City. Another store that I saw carrying these type of staplers was "Office Max", but the closest one to me is about 35 miles away..

This way, I do not have to clamp the staples down with pliers.

At some point down the road, I want to take my "Better" coins to have them graded professionally. I "think" I may have a few that fit that description, not that many.

So far, I like what I'm seeing with the use of these flips, and at least the coins are not touching each other any longer.

Robert

 

I recently transferred all my loose world coins and world coins I had in Air-tites into the cardboards. I like it better for storage reasons. I prefer putting my coins in a long cardboard box and storing that easily. With air-tites I didnt like how the plastics scratched or if the coin wasnt a U.S. size they would rattle & shake.

I still havent wrote on the boards though like the date & region but I will in time.

 

I use both air tites and cardboards. Both have pros and cons, the cardboard 2x2s can have dust and loose chipboard trapped in-between the coin and the mylar. But they are cheap, easier to store and label.
The air tites makes the coin look much prettier, offers better protection and for those coins you don't want to tone. The air tites will slow down the process better. But they are harder to store, more expensive and if you ever want to buy pages that hold the air tites, those cost more too.

 

Two questions:

1) Why do you clamp the staples down?

2) What methods of storage allow toning?

By the way, I found this great resource on testing if your cardboard holders have PVC. I bought some that said that they were "mylar", but after testing them I believe they are polyethylene.

http://www.brent-krueger.com/howtopvc.html

Thank you

 

Clamp the staples so they're flat, if you're storing them in a box with rows, you don't want the unflattened staples scratching the next coin and so on. Especially helpful if you have varying sizes of coins stacked in a box. The big coins will usually be on the receiving end of the scratches.

 

And one more thing, you will know you have PVC material if it smells like a new shower curtain. Stay away from those.

 

Yeah, mine are definitely polyethylene or polypropylene.

Another neat test is to see to cut a bit of the film off and put it in water and see if it floats. If it floats, then it's either polyethylene or polypropylene.

If it doesn't float, you can try burning it (but if it's PVC, beware of toxic fumes). If it doesn't drip when burned and has a green-outlined flame, it's probably PVC.

Read more here:
http://www.consultekusa.com/pdf/Tech Resources/New ID chart .pdf

I destroyed two flips in the process of testing, but it's worth it to make sure.

Also, that staple thing makes sense. Looks like I should go buy a new stapler. Thanks.

 

The confusion is that Mylar(tm) is a brand name for a type of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that has been stretched to increase its tension strength. So Mylar (tm) is a type of Polyethylene.

Jim

 

Ah, I guess I was getting Mylar mixed up with being polyester rather than polyethylene. But I guess polyethylene is made from polyester. So this makes sense.

 

You might also want to look around when purchasing the 2x2 cardboard holders. Just because the price is cheaper does not meant its good. I bought a bunch when I started and the quality was very poor. Thin boards, baggy plastic and it just had a poor quality feel to it.

 

Thanks All, This is a very interesting and informative thread so far and I sure hope this continues.
Thanks again, Ben. Tampa FL (also a stamp/cover/postmark collector)

 

With any type of holder, folder or album, find out if it is archival quality. If so, toning or worse yet, corrosion will be reduced or eliminated. Typically you get what you pay for. That's the difference between the blue folders (Whitman) and the costlier ones such as Dansko. Quality storage methods equal a quality collection years from now. Of course all of this is a waste of time and money if you decide to store your collection in a damp place. I was at a coin dealer a couple of years back looking for some silver proof sets. He had just received a lot from a seller that he bought sight unseen. I stood there as he broke open the cardboard box that contained about two dozen proof sets in original mint packaging. To both our deep dismay, especially his, EVERY set had some degree of moisture damage. Most notably the cents. We both agreed that these had been in a basement, attic or a storage unit.

 

I have my coins in Day Coin 2x2 holders that are self seal. I haven't
kept up so most of my coins were done 15-20 years ago. What is the
best method to use and are the ones I have now harmful in any way?
Guess it's time to upgrade my storage system!---John