I am curious how others store their bullion/coins. If ones bullion tones I don't really think that is a big deal unless we are talking about collectible engelhard, JM, etc bars. But what about graded coins? Is keeping all of your bullion and coins in a safe with a bunch of desiccant doing it right? When I quit smoking I used these lozenges that had these little plastic tube desiccants in them. I looked the company up and it isn't just for moisture, it absorbs EVERYTHING, so I have a bunch of those in there. Plus anytime we buy something that has those little silica desiccant packets I toss them in there too. Seems to be doing the trick so far as none of my coins have toned, but I am looking long term. Has anyone stored slabbed coins in a safe for 15+ years without any toning? If so, how did you go about that?
You want an Eva-dry dehumidifier every few months you just have to plug it in to recharge it overnight and then unplug stick it back in your safe. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
I appreciate the reply. Water is a problem and I am sure that this product defeats humidity. However things like sulfur is what tones silver. I'm looking for purification? as well. Something that will suck ANYTHING out of the air like a bigger version of these little plastic "multisorbs"
Eva-dry IS silica-gel desiccant, same stuff that's in a shoebox. There's also a desiccant silica-gel canister that works by putting it in the oven to recharge it....really recharge isn't the right word. By putting it in the oven or using electric it drys the silica-gel out so it can absorb again.
ok, so dessicant/dehumidifiers are covered. i now have a dehumidifying solution and an understanding of it. i am askimg if there is a product that pulls POLLUTANTS, things OTHER THAN WATER out of the air for the purpose of preventing toning.
I think one of the main pollutant of concern for silver is Hydrogen sulfide gas (?). I've read activated carbon ... or, specialty impregnated carbon works to adsorb (not absorb) Hydrogen Sulfide gas, http://www.pureeffect.com/Services/specialty-impregnated-carbon-filtration.html (I just found this scanning the web, I have no personal experience with this stuff.... yet )
You're welcome. I have a 1988 American Silver Eagle proof that has been stored in the original US Mint capsule and there is some toning/tarnish along a portion of the reed edge. Both sides of the coin still look fine. I suspect the reed toning came about after I actually opened up the capsule to weigh the coin last year... since I don't recall seeing it at that time. Maybe it was there all along though... (?) For my bullion coin purchases, I tend to put them in those genuine air-tite brand coin holders and then put the coin holders into air-tite coin tubes. As a final touch.. perhaps storing in a sealed container with silica gel packs and also some kind of carbon air purifying bag. I noticed some bamboo-based carbon pouches for sale on amazon.com
If you want something to combine with sulfur compounds before they reach your silver, it is a simple chemical answer. Take a few newish copper clad cents and scratch up the surface with a dishwashing pad, either brillo type or the stiff plastic type until you can see scratches and they are BRIGHT. Put these in with your silver. The cent clad is 100% copper, more reactive than the silver. They will combine with any sulfides first, so when they get brownish, replace or rescrub them and your start your protection over. Very low cost.
interesting idea. i feel like i will be scratching pennies up every other day with this method, but not bad at all. congrats on the moderator status.
If you use a heavy duty gun safe, such as a Presidential, there is a small (airhole type) opening in the floor for an electric cord. I ran a 25W bulb with the circuit on a timer into mine. Every night for about 12 hours it turns on and raises the inside the safe temperature enough to lessen the humidity. Does the same job as a much more expensive dehumidifying rod. Also keep in mind, if your coin touches plastic, or wood, or paper, inevitably a chemical reaction will start. It can be black spots from plastic, what some call toning from contact with plant products (includes cardboard) such as wood or cloth. There is no getting around it short of building a gold box to hold the silver coins.
i got a hold of the company that another poster linked above. they are going to be sending me a sample of their absorption medium for which I am going to try and develop a product for absorbing any and all ions/free radicals, etc. i ran some preliminary numbers and it appears i can manufacture them for about $0.23 apiece, and comfortably sell them to safe companies to include in their safes for about $7 apiece. i already received the containers from a company out of TX, and i have 2 small test safes, one airtight and one standard to test them with. i will keep everyone posted.
I do this, but with silver. I know Jim says copper is more reactive, but "hair of the dog" right? I put fresh silver out, where it will tone first. I just use rounds, something I don't care if it corrodes. Once it starts to turn, either clean it and put it back or (more usually) just buy new rounds and put the old ones in a tube.
Okay, so check this out, I have a set of like 20 pr69 ASE's that I keep in my safe. It's a pretty heavy duty burglary and fire safe made by Amsec. I went in and checked the coins out one day, all still in their graded capsules, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing, they were all tarnished. I'm a total novice and totally thought that the coins were impermeable in those capsules. I just couldn't believe it, I thought that their value would be significantly diminished, even though they were graded. I was bummed out and didn't really want to think about it for years, like 5. I definitely put those silicone pack things in the safe at some point after that just so that it wouldn't get any worse, or damage any other coins that didn't get tarnished yet. Well...I looked at the set about a month ago (after not looking at them for years), I just knew that the damage was going to be even worse that I had remembered it... and low and behold, it was all gone. Seriously, the coins looked awesome, no tarnishing at all. Is that normal? It had to be those silicone packs right?
I'm just getting started collecting silver and have decide to store them in a bank safe deposit box. I have two proof sets of silver quarters and four silver bullion bars. The proof sets are direct fro the mint, the bars were bought from a Canadian company and are wrapped in plastic (but not sealed, I don't think). I presume the bars will ultimately get stained, but will the proof coins?
yes. they will. i recommend putting a few dessicants in with your hoard. and in a few months, i will be coming out with a product i talked about above that will eliminate silver tarnish....so um, buy it =)
I am not understanding how you anticipate being able to gather meaningful statistical test data on the value of the substance in anything less than a 10 year timeframe. ??? Indeed, we really won't know for 100 years. Yes, I too use the silicone dessicants. The issue with them is eventually they become saturated, then can become the source of the humidity in the safe. Two options. Replace them on a schedule, OR, put them in a low temperature (150 degrees or so) oven for six hours to dry them out. One brand I use has a litmus indicator. One color (pink) indicates wet, while the other (blue) indicates functional. Very handy.
nah, i found a lab that has something called an "atmospheric accelerator", my buddy interns there. he said if i want i can bring the prototype i want to test, and choose the timeframe i want to test, and it takes like 45mins-2hrs tops to extrapolate out to 10 years. to test it i am putting a 2013 maple leaf that already was screened under a microscope for surface detergents (milk spot causing issues) and my sample cartridge. you drop them in this charge, and it basically heats it up, cools it down, changes the humidity, heats it up, cools it down, changes the humidity, introduces pollutants of your choice (in this case sulfur which tarnishes silver) a few thousand times and in 2 hours i can see what the effect or rather, protection effect my product provides. i gave him a sunshine minting bar to test as a control on Thursday and this thing came back BLACK AND CORRODED. i am dropping it off monday, i will keep you posted. i have a feeling it is going to work. it has been sitting in my safe for a few days and a test piece of copper i hang in there which usually oxidizes and needs sanding every 2weeks or so is shiny as can be still. i have a company lined up that may be purchasing it depending on the test results.
