It seems that the people who are selling the CAPS system of Airtite albums have gotten their site optimized for customers to label their own pages: http://www.capsalbums.com First you choose the size of airtite capsule, and if you have differing coin sizes for a page, you can use various-size inserts to accommodate 16mm to 27mm coins in the T-size airtites (for example). There are larger, and smaller size ranges for other capsules. There are white or black ring inserts (made out of an inert material named Volara) for Airtites, or you can use "direct fit" capsules (top) that don't use rings. I know most people here know what Airtites are, but there are a lot of other people here who ask lots of questions about them when I post about Airtites. This system is really the first customizable coin binder/album system. Perfect for World Coin enthusiasts.
Airtites are nice! Alternatively: I use black cardboard album pages, (archival quality) each has sleeves for 12 2x2's. To label I use the little Avery "stick on's", (they come in about 450 per pack, depending on the size you want). I add printed documents in 3 hole punched 8 1/2 x 11 inch plastic protector sleeves (also archival quality). These documents contain added data about each coin - on the facing page - and extra history. All of which goes into any standard 3 ring binder of my choice! Each one then becomes a coin BOOK, with all sorts of data which can be added. Each binder is kept in a Jumbo Hefty zipped locked air tight plastic bag, with 56 grams of desiccant. I keep hundreds of coins this way. Cost is quite small. Some of the cardboard pages (BCW manufactured) I re-enforce using the plastic "report cover" sliding binders, to prevent severe bending (if heavy 12 oz. of silvers are on the page/plate!), these are trimmed to size, then I slide them onto the outer edges, thus re-enforcing the cardboard page! [if needed]. Additional labeling is done with a small hand held Dymo printer. The back of each 2x2 also has penciled-in data, denomination, composition et cetera. I like the black cardboard pages, the color contrasts nicely and with the thumb cut outs, inserting and removing the 2x2's is a snap. This is not an album for children, as they require a little bit of care. But ANY world coin which can fit into a 2x2 FITS. I can also add currency in the 8 1/2 x 11 inch plastic protector pages. One 3 inch binder can hold about 10 pages, which is 120 coins, with many more added pages of documentation. I have about a dozen albums, each with outside labeling showing which countries are therein. They can all fit into 2 regular cardboard file type carrying boxes. I dry the desiccant about once per year, I live in a damp area. Airtites are .50 cents to $1.00 each! And each airtite page is about $6.00 so as you can see, my method though on the cheap, saves hundreds of dollars, and - to date my coins are PRISTINE. We poor folk learn to live within our means! one way or another. Airtites are nice, special coin cases are nice too, but out of my reach. I just illustrated a cheap alternative.
Thanks for that. Hey, could you upload an image of one, or a few, of your albums? Because I can't visualize the "black cardboard pages".
4 photos follow. In photo #2, you can see one of the white re-enforcements, adding strength to the edge of one of the cardboard pages. The actual cardboard pages, are just over 1/16" thick, pretty sturdy. Do zoom in to see details. The type-written data pages are placed in polypropylene, acid free archival quality sheet protectors. Several brands are available. They come with the standard 3 holes for the usual 3 ring binders. (Via Walmart et cetera). You will see different sized numbering labels used. Each album is numbered, and each page in each album is numbered. The page with the Canadian cents is a special one I crafted from an old Lincoln cent board, glued to a hard white panel, then covered with part of a sheet protector. It is not really really that much work. Though one can spends MUCH time creating the data sheets and or the histories, as much as one would like to spend. You have the option. One image shows the BCW slotted page product insert sheet. #3.
Yes, I spend as much time writing up on my coins as I do putting together albums. I like how your "data sheets" are on the opposing pages from the coin pages. I also notice that you reference the actual coin you have in the album on your data sheet, noting its grade and other details of that particular coin. That's pretty specific to your own collection, and something I hadn't considered doing for mine. The only coins I keep in Airtites are my "nicer" coins. If I kept them in 2X2s, this is how I'd want to do it. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your sharing and the start of this thread. I hope others chime in with their collection techniques. Conder101 has over 28,000 coins!! How does he keep them? I have been prodding him to respond for some time now. Maybe he is deceased? Like -- where does one find mintage numbers for many of the aluminum coins (Krause etc. NGC, only shows a few!), and how are white spots removed on aluminum coins, if needed? I hope he is alive! Or someone else with extensive knowledge of world coins (like Ole on Numista)!! can chime in and share how they archive and tag their collection. Mlov43, do you keep MOST of your coins in albums? Or scattered about in 2x2's??
Most of my world coins are scattered in 2X2s in those 3-row 2X2 storage boxes. they number no where NEAR 28K coins... I have "frankenstein" Dansco albums that I made to accommodate my best Korean coins that are in airtites (year sets, all six circulating coins and some commemoratives). Most of my duplicate Korean coins (my main collecting focus) are stored in 2X2s, with even a few of these (nicer dupes) are in Airtites with a silver dollar 2X2 stapled around them so that the airtite can stand up in the box and not roll around. My Lincoln cent collection is in a standard Dansco Lincoln cent binder. I have just a handful of coins in PCGS and NGC slabs. You can see my "frankenstein" albums here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL24551D13EFF104F3
Very interesting way to display coins. I like it! Innovative. I am personally a big fan of Dansco albums in particular the world albums but they just seem to be behind the times. For instance this is the original Dansco album for Japan type set: http://issuu.com/gxseries/docs/japan_dansco_type_set_1870 And this is my updated digital version that I designed a while back. http://issuu.com/gxseries/docs/japan_type_set_1870_current You really have to question how hard it is to make an album. Afterall, it's just decent cardbard / paper material in a binder with a few holes and then mylar / plastic sheets. On the other hand, there's something called budget constraint. I'm certain most people are not too willing to pay any more than 50 dollars for an album. Maybe 3D printing will make a big difference in manufacturing.
Yeah, I looked at some of your albums before. Impressive. They function quite well and your design is sharp. Lots of work! Keep on keepin on my friend! You live in Minnesota? Have you ever been to Korea?
I really enjoy the digital version. Another talented member with a nice innovative technique. Nice collection, obviously some time was spent finding all those beautiful Japanese coins! 3D printing, now thats a concept!
