I have a few Whitman albums that my dad and I had worked on back in the early fifties. Dimes and cents starting around the middle forties. Should I be concerned about keeping these coins in them? And are the current albums fine for storing my collection? I actually like using 2x2s and flips second.
2 x 2's are fine, but don't store them in flips for a long time It's not bad- if you are talking about the plastic ones in both sides- rather do that then that one sided one
If you are referring to the old Whitman "folders" (you say albums), just use some cotton gloves and take the coins out to see how they are faring. If all is well keep using them. If you see some problem coins then you can always switch over to the "albums" with the plastic slides. Edit-To update Randy's post below. I should have mentioned archival quality albums.
Hope this cut and paste works. I asked the very same question when I joined here... This was a Whitman's album I purchased in the 1980's. The album was started in 1960 and I purchased it with maybe a third of the holes plugged. The dimes that have the black unsightly tarnish are the dimes that have been in the book since 1960. It was explained to me that the cardboard and the glues used create this ugly tarnish/toning issue. The good info I received from folks in the know here gave me pause enough to stop the degradation and find an "archival quality" book. Seems that is the key phrase here. Archival quality materials don't produce the gasses that cause this damage to our coins.
Thanks for the reply. But I just looked at them and they are labeled as folders. The two older ones have no designation at all, but are Whitmans.
I will do that. I do have the gloves since I use them when handing old documents and I always look for archival products.
The reflection on the 1940-D and the gold lettering. Whitman "folders" have no windows and black text.
