Hello! Question from a newbie... I am working on putting together a set of MS Lincolns. I bought an Official U.S. Mint 1909-1973 book to put the coins in. In case you haven't seen them they are cardboard pages with plastic that slides to insert the coin. It seems they also have a stop in them so you can insert the coin and not touch the plastic on either side. Since we all can't suspend coins in mid-air, is this method considered a good option? Also, should a guy break out slabbed coins to put in the set or stick to raw coins and keep the slabs seperate. Oh-Don't get excited about my slab question, some slabbed Lincolns can be gotten for under $10. Thanks!
The choice is really up to you. The only problem with the albums is the slide. This is how the coins get slide marks on them. If the coin is not pushed in far enough, the plastic will rub against the coin. The other problem is inserting the coins without getting fingerprints on them. If you wear gloves, you have to make sure that you do not rub against the surface of the coin. Other than that, albums are a nice way to store and showcase your coins. Personally I recommend airtites for nice coins. They run about a buck a piece, and offer great protection and easy viewing. As far as breaking the coins out of slabs, that is a personal preferrence. Many do it, and there is no wrong way to collect or show your coins.
Hello, tracerat. Welcome! I'll go with what National dealer said. Albums are great. Just be careful, and you shouldn't have a problem. Copper coins can be very easy to smudge. Cotton gloves are a must, and only touch them (the coins) on the edge.
I personally wouldn't use those Whitman cardboard holders where you have to push in the coins in the slots. That would be a waste of a BU coin. I prefer the 2x2 cardboard flips and then insert them in plastic pages. David
Hello tracerat Speaking from experiance !!! I prefer the 2x2's I found that as my set progressed often times I would find better examples of coins that I already had ,,,it is much easier to remove one and replace it with a better example in the 2x2's as for breaking coins out of slabs,,, I have taken many coins from slabs, but only if necessisary, " meaning" I have found coins that are every bit as good as the slabbed coin to use in my set , in this case I would leave the coin slabbed. Rick
I started with Whitman folders (age 10), went to Dansco albums, then went to 2x2's with my chicken scratch notations, then printed up Avery labels... and then went to Intercept Shield 2x2's with Avery Labels displayed in an Eagle page (for a 3 ring binder) for dates of 1909 to 1943. To keep your Lincolns Red is the challenge. Low humidity and room temperature conditions are the key. When I break a coin out of the slab, I keep the grading label and apply it to the 2x2 (inside the Intercept holder on the reverse) or tape it on the reverse side showing that this coin did receive this grade from this company. But since I wanted it for my raw collection, that is the reason why I broke it out. Usually I acquired some of these Lincolns at costs LESS than what it costs to slab the coin in the first place. I have picked up some nice slabbed Lincolns for AU55 to MS63 grades, that I broke out. I'll take a nice strike, high chocolate gloss Lincoln over a RB with spots and blemishes just for the sure look of the coin. But that's just me. I look at Lincoln's ear and hair...the more detail, the better for me. I like to individually take out a 2x2 (either cardboard or Intercept Shield) for display or examination. The folders were okay when I was younger as most of my coins were VF to EF, but I have to protect my current reds and albums don't cut it for me.
