A phone call to Littleton Coin Company.

I have one of those Ancient Roman Coin Albums, as shown here.

I asked about it here before I called, and I know now that if the pages smell like a new shower curtain, it is PVC. Mine smell that way, so it is PVC.

So, a little upset, since I traded $40 worth of coins to someone for this album who is never online anymore, I called up Littleton..the conversation between me and the rep went something like this.

Me: "I have one of the Ancient Roman Coin Albums, and was wondering why the album contains PVC"

Rep: "What is the Item Number"

Me: "LT20"

Rep: "Ok, it doesn't say here that it is made from PVC"

Me: " I know it is PVC though, it (the pages) smells just how PVC should smell."

Rep: "Ok then, they probably are"

Me: "Why would you use PVC if it hurts the coins"

Rep: "PVC Does not hurt the coins"

Me: "Yes it will , over time"

Rep: "No it wont, I assure you it will not"

Me: "Ok, thanks Bye"

Rep: "Thank you for calling, bye"


Now, The fact that they say that there pages have PVC is bad enough. It is now even worse that the reps don't know about their product and the harmful things this album can do.

I am not sure if there is much I can do, since I did not buy it from them, but I certainly wish there was.

Anyone have an idea?


stainless

 

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At the risk of stirring up a hornet's nest, I believe that they are correct or at least technically correct. It is my understanding that PVC (or at least good PVC) does not affect coins at all, but rather it is the plasticizer used to make the plastic flexible that leaches and degrades with time.

 

That is almost like the logic:
Guns don't kill people. People kill people.

 

One very big difference - PVC does not always contain plasticizer. Therefore, if you put your coin in PVC without plasticizer, it would be safe. Since it you cannot see the difference with and without the plasticizer, the safest for a numismatist is to never use PVC.

 

"PVC Does not hurt the coins"

:rolling::rolling:

 

If you didn't buy from them, why did you call them? Shouldn't the discussion have been with the person/company you got them from?

 

The prson I traded it from is never online. Plus they are the ones that sells it.


stainless

 

I'll quote them from their site:

Littleton albums provide archival-quality, acid-free, and PVC-free long-term storage for your collection. Each album gives you a brief history about the series, along with mintage figures. Best of all, they are made in the USA.


Isn't that false advertising?


stainless

 

maybe the rep didnt want to tell you that you were wrong about the item being made of pvc? I have no idea if it is or not

 

Your talking apples and oranges here. The statement from Littleton is based on thier up to date, modern products and has nothing to do with items in the past. Regardless, if you do searches on most coin forums for that name, Littleton, you would not have bothered to call them. Nor would you have purchased one of thier products.
However, the statement that PVC does not harm coins is in reality correct. As noted already it is the additives of Phthalates that makes this substance a little on the dangerous side. Such additives are included to make the substance of PVC more flexible. It is a well known fact that over time these additives leak out leaving the PVC rigid and sometimes brittle. Please note that in most hardware stores PVC piping is sold for all household materials. Since this is not intended to be flexible, nothing is added that is harmfull or your entire house would probably turn green.:rolling::goofer:
PVC itself is a very stable covalent polymer type compound that doesn't even begin to melt until 212 degrees F. PVC is simply Polyninyl Chloride, C4 H6 Cl2.
In other words PVC will no hurt your coins unless you place them in locations where a temperature is sufficient to start melting the PVC.
Remember that the additives put into the PVC to make it flexible have a limited quantity and eventually all leaks out of the substance. Therefore, pending the age of that album, most should have leaked out by now.
By the way just where do you buy your shower curtains that smell.

 

Never able to edit my post. Every time I try this forum throws me out and I have to log in again.
In my last answer it should have said Polyvinyl Chloride, not Polynimyl.

 

Actually that is really good logic.

 

Are we even 100% sure that this album is made of PVC based on the way it smells?

 

If it smells like a new shower curtain, then it has PVC... or so I've learned here.


stainless

 

I'm still amazed at the idea that new shower curtains smell. I recently purchased some and there was no smell of any kind. If you find smelly shower curtains, I would suspect there is some problem with that store and/or product that should be avoided. Just where do you go to smell shower curtains? Exactly how does PVC smell? Are there different odors to different Polymers? This is like saying I can tell the grade of Stainless Steel by the smell.

 

I agree.

 

Family Dollar......

 

But they sure help get the job done , very easily .
rzage

 

So does a chain saw...or a car...or a steak knife.

 

Are you familiar with the very distinct and specific plastic smell of water rafts, (or children's float tubes etc.), you blow up for use in the swimming pool? You smell the smell when you're blowing it up.

That very specific smell is the same as when you open a package of new plastic shower curtains. (EDIT: Maybe some brands no longer have that smell. Maybe they are made of different plastics. But I have smelled it with new shower curtains in the past. It's a very specific plastic smell. Once you smell it you don't forget it.)

If you've ever smelled it you will know exactly what I mean.

That is the smell stainless is talking about. And that I've read is indicative of PVC. But I don't know if that's true for sure.

But I have no problem believing that PVC can have its own specific smell, just like anything else.