I keep my coins in a Cedar lined chest under lock. It keeps them dry and safe, plus I now live Arizona. I was wondering if there is anything about the Cedar that I should worry about though?
Natural cedar has been used for archival quality storage for thousands of years. However, if it has a finishing wax or a clear coat or something, I'd be cautious. Plus, AZ Jack can tell you as well as myself (also a southwesterner) that just because you are in AZ now doesn't mean you don't have humidity to deal with. The Sonoran areas in the south and west of AZ can have just as much humidity in the summers as any east coast area. Plus, we have it in the winter, whereas the east is dry. Even the best ac's won't keep your home's humidity down during the monsoon season. Guy~
Well it looks unifinished and still smells of cedar, but the trunk was used when I got it. It seemed like a good coin box. I hear what you are saying, a couple weeks back the carpet in the house felt like it was dripping!!! I know humidty is still a concern, but dang!!! I get dry here...
Cedar and coins - bad idea. Cedar degasses continuously and the gas is harmful to the metals. The only wood that is safe to use around coins is mahogany. And even that can cause excessive toning.
I use plastic storage bins. Tupperware makes good ones and the ones used for food most often do not contain pvc's. If youre not sure, write down the product code and inquire about it. They're cheap and sturdy and easy to organize your collection with. Guy~
Anything from this page that would work? http://www.containerstore.com/browse/index.jhtml?CATID=62560 I want a large container, hopefully something that isn't hideous, then I plan to store in albums or Intercept boxes and kep silica in the main box. I just need a nice chest.