Slabs, Air-Tites, Plastic holders, etc

I know this will vary by coin denomination and personal preference, but I wanted to get some feedback on when you decide to slab a coin, or put it in an Air-Tite, 2x2 etc. as compared to general storage. What value would you need to put on a coin before you would have it graded and slabbed? What value would you put on a coin to put it in a Air-Tite (or something comparable)? Does value not play in a part in your decision to store a coin? Thanks everyone, I am looking forward to reading the responses.

 

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As for me, I would only have a coin slabbed or graded in its value was over $1,000. As for air-tites any perfect coin in uncirculated or proof condition deserves an air-tite. :smile

 

I like albums, but I know the dangers they present. So my low-cost pieces go into a Dansco album, which is stored in a sealed container with a dessicant. Slightly more expensive varieties and higher-grade coins go into airtites. I haven't come across anything yet that might be worth over 100 on the market, like a rare die variety or registry-grade coin, but if I do, it's headed for Californeeay.

 

Thanks for the info so far. Where do you buy your air-tites from?

 

http://www.air-tites.com/air-tite_coin_supplies.htm#.UOXGdonjlkg

 

Rather than a value, by function:
-Box - junk I want to handle, let my kids play with.
-Tubes for junk silver/wheaties/war nickels/Buffs, etc.
-Folders for junk I give to kids as gifts, to get them interested/organized
-Albums for my best non-flip/slab coins I want to display (mostly 1900>, non-key date), includes common proofs, low-grade MS, etc.
- Flips - for older, low-grade key-date, semi-keys that aren't worth selling, common proofs (not in the orig. pkg).
- Slabs - for coins I need to have verified for authenticity, for those I needed to have preserved (NCS->NGC), those I want to sell (market liquidity), or for those that very high-grade and I don't want scratched (MS/PF 64+).

It's not about value, it's about function for me.

All stored in archival-safe materials, separate from papers, with dessicant, in a gun-safe, behind a locked door with a dehumidifier, with a security system, by an armed homeowner.

I've purchased from a number of online dealers, but now I buy most things from Wizard Coin Supply. :thumb:

 

Any circulation-quality coinage is out in the open for people to handle and my kids to play around with. It's either junk silver or regular pocket change, and I don't care about it's protection. Besides, the kids get a kick out of playing "store" with 100-year-old junk morgans...

I consider most silver/gold under BU/MS to be bullion grade, which goes into tubes for bulk storage. All "bullion" cents go into old mint bags by the pound.

Any raw coins with numismatic value over bullion I typically put into hard plastic 2x2's - I prefer the square 2x2 over air-tites since they fit into normal 2x2 boxes for easy storage in the safe/SDB and they don't roll away on me. I do not use cardboard 2x2 or flips (see related thread posted below for reasons not to use).

I prefer slabbed over raw when possible, so I don't adhere to a strict dollar limit to slab coins. I plan on slabbing/grading anything that I really like regardless of it's potential value, but anything with a high value - to me over $50 - gets pushed to the top of the list to be done first.

Two places I have ordered supplies from recently and have been happy with price/shipping:

Coin Supply Express:
http://www.coinsupplyexpress.com/

Hobbies Depot:
http://shop.hobbiesdepot.com/main.sc


A related thread that may be of interest to this topic:

http://www.cointalk.com/t213882/

 

great stuff so far everyone, thank you

 

I put everything in air-tites just for consistency. All of my coins go either in a safe (higher value) with a dessicant or in a locked file cabinet with the keys in the safe.

I've bought air-tites on eBay and from the following online site:

www.air-tites.com
​

Ken

 

Thanks for the website, and that is great advice. One quick question on the air-tites with colored rings, I believe I read a thread somewhere on here that said the colored ring had caused coloration on the coin in the holder. Has there been any other information on this, or does it seem like a one time freak thing?

 

I put any coin I feel has a high value to me in an Air-Tite. I don't use 2x2 because I just don't like they look and when I buy a nice coin that comes in a 2x2 I pull it right out and use an Air-Tite.

 

That is great to know, I have always liked how they looked but hadn't purchased any yet.

 

My coins that are collected go into Air Tites. My junk silver are in tubes.

 

Exactly what I do.

 

While I agree with you; your link is a bit misleading. That 50 for $4.75 that you link to is just the ring part. If you only spend 9 1/2 cents each then you are going to end up with just a foam ring around your coin and no plastic. What they are doing there is allowing you to buy the plastic airtites in 250 count (at between $0.28 - $0.36 each) and then buy the rings in smaller 50 count lots so you can buy different size rings to use in your 250 airtites. Total cost is going to be closer to $0.40 - $0.50 each; not 9 1/2.

 

And somewhat on the same topic but a bit of a thread drift if the OP doesn't mind. I'm a big fan of air tites but for another purpose I'm looking into some of the plastic 2x2's. For those who use them, do you prefer one brand over another? Do certain brands have features that are more/less desirable? It seems like there are about 5-6 different options in the same price range (I'm ruling out the IS 2x2's on cost alone).

http://www.jpscorner.com/guardhouse-coin-holders.html
http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/harris-color-coded/
http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/quadrum-holders-lighthouse/
http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/products/whitman-coin-holders/
http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/coin-edge-holder/
http://www.air-tites.com/Marcus_Coin_Holders.htm#.UOcNuXdcGBA

All of these are in the $0.40-0.70 cent range. Is one really superior to the other? Also does anyone know if any of these are thin enough to fit in the album pages made for the cardboard 2x2's (or I guess in a similar vein if any brand of the pages run a little big and are made to work with these plastic holders)? I had physical access to some Lead Dog pages and the Whitman plastic 2x2's and they didn't work together.

Thanks

 

I also would like to know. I would like to switch to something better than cardboard 2x2s, but want to use the 2x2 album pages.