I was putting some coins away in my safe and I realized that I have a couple of stacks of 2X2’s rubber banded together. Reason it jumped out at me is because I think I suddenly remembered a thread a while back where rubber bands had done damage to coins. I know my brain is becoming addled but did I dream that? Do rubber bands damage our coins?
IIRC, rubber bands contain sulfur and sulfur will tone coins. Even when not in direct contact, like when the coin are in a 2x2 and the rubber band is around the 2x2, if the coins are in an enclosed space I imagine the bands will emit some sulfur. I make a point of not keeping any elastomers in with my coins.
Every time I see them they have a similar look to this. 2014 1 oz Silver American Eagle - Rainbow Rubber Band Toning - BU - SKU-E2938 | #4661867520
If you still want to bundle those coins together for a particular reason, you can tie them up with string, Randy.
I just need to go see my coin buddy and talk him out of another one of those boxes he has. I needed an excuse to go pester him anyways.
@Randy Abercrombie You see not imagining anything. You are correct and those rubber bands will soak through a 2 x 2 flip or even a plastic flip. In one B of those boxes that I didn’t open for years was this. I bought a stack of these silver rounds and the one is from the top of the stack and the bottom photo is from the opposite end of the stack. A nice rubber band was holding them together. The rest were find.
Here was a thread on the PCGS forum where someone had an Eagle tone from the rubber band. It's better to avoid them on any coins in flips that you want to keep untoned. https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1122248/rubber-bands-and-ases-don-t-mix
Mobilon rubber bands are latex-free and sulfur-free. They are made of polyurethane. Polyurethane bands can be bought from ULine. Mike
Yeah, I was wondering about silicone rubber bands. From some quick research, they're unlikely to offgas anything very bad for very long - but they can absorb stuff from their surroundings, and then let go of it later. Seems like wrapping coins with anything that presses their flips or holders against their surfaces would be a bad idea, though?
Here's an example that I actually like. 1877-CC PCGS VF30 (color corrected to better represent the coin in-hand)
