I’m new to the game and I made a grave mistake. Been storing my silver coins in ziploc baggies and just went to look at my collection and noticed the mint section doesn’t look as nice as I remembered, looked it up, and… TA-DA my edited didn’t think to look up how to properly store silver. Can anyone tell me how I can store these until I have reliable storage, also any recommendations on brands or specific cases to purchase that are legit? I have multiple coins depreciating by the minute HELP!!
There are countless threads here on the forum that discuss proper coin storage. Just do a search for those words - proper coin storage - and you'll find all you care to read. But to put it simply - The first step is to make sure that you only use inert materials for coin storage. You don't want any paper, cardboard, or original packaging anywhere near the coins. Then put each coin in an individual hard plastic holder like an Air-Tite or slab type holder - there are many different kinds. Once in their holders, put the coins in a sealable container, like a large Tupperware container with a lid. Food safe containers are made of inert materials that cannot harm your coins. Next step is to put a rechargeable silica gel pack inside the Tupperware with the coins. Its purpose is to absorb excess moisture (humidity) in the air. Then choose a place in your home to store the container where the temperature remains fairly constant like a closet or room that has no walls that face the exterior (outside) of the home. Those are the basics, but there are additional steps you can take like using Intercept Shield products like slab boxes and or individual coin slabs, and individual slab containers - they all work. But they have to be properly stored too as described above.
all my coins, as stated above, are in food tupperware containers, with several rechargeable silica gel packs. The coins are not in, say the USMINT blue box stuff (those are stored elsewhere) and are contained in their airtite (which really are not "air tight") or USMINT tubes, flips, etc. They are also stored in the basement where I maintain the humidity a bit as it's always cool and in a safe (if not a CU/Banks Safe Deposit Box).
Sometimes silver coins "corrode" or tone quickly because they have been dipped and not rinsed properly. Have you dipped your coins? Are you hung up on having white colored silver coins only? If that is all you have purchased, the dipping issue might be to blame.
Thanks all for the info and here’s the best example- 1st 2 pictures are when I got the coin and second two are after 2 months in a ziploc bag.. I know the lighting is different but the dark spots on the top right of both sides is my concern.
No dipping, very new to collecting and most of the silver/steel/wartime coins I’ve got so far were given to me from family members that passed. So I haven’t done anything to them, don’t plan on doing anything really besides adding to the collection it’s been very cathartic. Just want to preserve everything as best I can.
These folders that your coins are obviously in - - are infamous for causing the coins tone and corrode. Then what you need to do is to get all of the coins out of those cardboard folders and store them as I described in my post above.
Uh...just to point out that 1943 cents are not silver, they are steel that has been zinc plated (see the caption in your album). Zinc is a pretty reactive metal and I don't know how to remedy any toning/corrosion on it once it happens. You have tow choices 1) learn to live with it or 2) get it in a closed holder of some sort as soon as you can...(BTW #2 will only lengthen the time it takes it to corrode/tone)
Store them in a place with a steady temperature with controlled humidity and hope. You can't clean them or reverse the process.
