In order to better document the coins in my collection I intend to take pictures of them all. Everything from the most expensive to the cheapest. My concern is how to store them AFTER I take the pictures. And by "store them" I mean the type of holder. Right now I'm tossed up between 2x2's and flips. Coins in slabs are no problem; they are already in holders and are labeled. Most of my non-slabbed coins are in 2x2's. To image them correctly I'll remove them from the 2x2. 2x2's are less expensive and do the job. But there is a bit more effort required in putting coins back into a new 2x2. And they make labeling more difficult. Flips are easier to put a coin into and labeling is possibly easier because of the second pocket. I would even consider printing the labels which would make things neater. But a coin can move around in the pocket resulting in friction wear (the classic slider). I'm NOT considering air-tites at all. Which holder would you recommend I put them into? And why? I'm particularly interested in things I've overlooked.
I hate flips for long term storage. Why? Inert flips are inherently brittle, and will crack Flips that won't crack will leach plasticizers onto the coins I use stapled 2x2 holders for long term storage of raw coins, but have never tried using coin envelopes instead. It may be that envelopes are better than 2x2 holders, but I envision coins in envelopes shifting around a lot, and suffering their own form of "envelope friction" as a result.
I personally prefer 2x2 holders they keep the coin in and from bouncing around. Lets me write on them. Easy to handle.
Why not self slab them? Something like these? https://www.air-tites.com/Coin_World_Coin_Slabs.htm#.XN1uklMpAwA
The 2" x 2" holders are the way to go, stapled on the three open sides. In addition, you could get some removable ½" x 1¼" Avery Multi-Use Labels (item 5422) to print any identifiers for the enclosed coin.
I use stapled 2 x 2's for my less expensive coins but for raw Morgan and Peace dollars I use 2 x 2 plastic air-tites because the coins are so much thicker than the cardboard 2 x 2's. A much safer box storage solution in my opinion.
Nice idea but WAY too expensive, particularly for coins that catalog for less than one of the slabs cost. I may consider them for some of the more expensive coins.
Something that I'll keep in mind. I don't think the thickness factor will occur often, if at all. But this is worth remembering.
It looks like 2x2's will be the method unless someone comes along with a better idea. Less expensive too. I'll just have to be neater about stapling them in order to leave room for labeling. I'm been using 4 staples diagonally on each corner of the 2x2. The "stapled on the three open sides" suggestion would largely solve the labeling difficulty.
Thanks for all the responses. They definitely helped. I've got the stapler and staples. I've got quite a few unused 2x2's but probably will have to buy more. I want the coins to fit comfortably and snugly so that they don't shift. Time is probably what I have the least of. At 77 the horizon is getting closer and closer.
Yeah that kind of rules out air-tites for the whole collection. I use dansco albums for probably 97% of my U.S. coins. U.S. Proof sets (2%) are all in OGP stored in cardboard boxes. The rest is my U.S. type set (1%) which I do put in air-tites (including the TPG slabbed ones all of which I have cracked). When they are not in a display cabinet they are in the air-tite storage tubes in a safe deposit box. Foreign coins are in stapled cardboard 2x2's stored in red boxes. Temporary "collections" are usually in the hard plastic 2x2's stored in red boxes. Or in tubes.
Meow finds the cost of needed supplies to be getting out of paw. Been collecting about 16 months now, and have gone through 200 quarter tubes and 150 penny tubes. 200 Whitman 2x2s in various sizes. 200 coin flips, and Quite a few red 2x2 boxes and 50 roll boxes. Whitman State and ATB albums along with a wheat penny album. Meow has even bought a few expensive Lighthouse binders for graded coins. 3 gallons of acetone to clean all keepers. Then all keepers need airtight cases. Meow has dozens of ammo cans and camera cases to house them all. All supplies are very low or exhausted, and Meow struggles to keep up. One thing Meow has not ever tried are the cardboard 2x2s. They seem a bit to cheap an cheesy looking for a collection in the Cat hoard. But soon Meow will have nothing to store new CRH finds in. But if Meow buys supplies, that drastically takes away from the coin roll fund. Meow does not have a very big wallet, and maybe should have chose a cheaper hobby like collecting sea shells. AND,..... the US Mint makes so many products that Meow cant afford them all. Then what Meow does buy, needs airtight cases too. Its a never ending cost escalation, but Meow does enjoy all dem shiny coins. Anyone else struggle with the costs involved in collecting coins for their own Cat hoard?
Not an effort to compete/brag, but I’ve got thousands of coins in 2x2s. Long ago, I gave myself the silly goal of putting all coins in 2x2s. I like to think I have it down to a decent system. All of my coins get four staples with a small flat clinch stapler that uses the smaller 10-5M staples. On the 2x2: Top left corner gets country. Top right is denomination. Bottom left is date and MM. Bottom right is metal. Top center is error or notes. Bottom center is KM catalog number. Reverse top center is my own catalog number for my excel document and tracking purposes. Here is the best priced holder and boxes combination I could find: https://www.amosadvantage.com/Store/Category/Coins/Holders/2x2-Flips/2x2-storage-sets It works if you’re in the continental US. Since I’m not, I purchase from here and they let me tell them the breakdown of my 2x2 boxes. Make sure you wait for 10% eBay bucks. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/370949041720 Here’s an example. I added the KM, since I didn’t write it in. This coin got a 2x2 for the error, so I wasn’t worried about the catalog number. Note that all I did was point and shoot with my phone camera. Lighting was okay, so the photo came out okay. With a little effort, I could’ve taken a solid high definition shot without removing it from the 2x2. Hope that was helpful. Edit: only my large dollar holders get staples on the four corners, as close to the coin as possible.
Most of my coins are in 2 x 2s and hand labeled but I recently found slabs and inserts at what I consider a reasonable price and placed my Buffalo nickel collection in those, with printed labels. Makes viewing obverse and reverse easy while the coin is protected from friction. It may be a bit more expensive than 2 x 2s, but if I plan on keeping, and handing down, my collection, it is worth it to me. https://www.bcwsupplies.com/coin-stamp-display-slab-holder https://www.bcwsupplies.com/coin-supplies
This is great for perhaps something like a US Type set, and I really like how those look, but for those of us who collect world type coins, this would bankrupt us.