Currency Sleeves and holders - the good and the bad

I think maybe the issue is, Regarding the ability for paper to breath
I have heard something about this in relation to slabbing notes?, Not
Sure if this is the reason for leaving some gaps, I think CGA has a holder
That allows the notes to breath, But i dont have all the specifics.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

DaggarJohn,
Thanks for posting this info.
Don't let your toes get your feet tangled. Think of the Mylar confusion this way.
Mylar, Mylar-D and Prolar are brand names of a particular plastic composition (PET, as you mentioned earlier) just as Jello is a brand name for gelatin. You can get Cherry or Black Cherry Jello. They look similar, but have very different tastes due to differences in additives to the gelatin, namely flavoring. Tastee also makes Cherry gelatin and it tastes slightly different than either of the Jello brand gelatins. If Tastee made a cherry gelatin that tasted exactly like Jello, I'm sure there would be a patent or trademark violation lawsuit.
So it is with plastics.
The base material PET is "relatively inert" according to everything I've read and researched as well. The issue is when different manufacturers add stuff to or modify the composition of the PET very, very slightly to shield themselves from various patent/trademark infringement, does that harm or change the "Inert" status of the PET.
I don't have the answer, no one probably does as these formulations are no doubt trade secrets (same as the formula for Coke, Pepsi and Tastee Black Cherry gelatin.)
However, since one of the 'selling points' of PET is it's inherent Inert property (which has uses in industry far beyond our specific interest in it for storage), I would suspect that whether it's Mylar, Mylar-D, Prolar or Tastee Plexi pack (jk), they all are essentially Inert and therefore useful for Archival storage of our precious collectables.
JMHO, YMMV.

I do recall Coinworld having some in depth articles on archival storage. If I can, I'll dig around online to see what may be archived there.

 

yet, strangely enough some bozo accused me of tampering with the holder on a note I sold him because of that breathing space!!

it takes all kinds.

N.

 

That is interesting, I would like to see some research as well, Because i know
In the past PMG put there note in a mini holder before encasing it in there slab
And iam sure the materials were not the same!, May be a concern may not be?

 

from what i have been told, not all Mylar is archival suitable, but all Mylar-D is. In most cases, when a company compares Prolar to Mylar, they pointedly say Mylar-D, not just Mylar. Melinex-516 is another compund often compared to Mylar-D- becuase that translates to being archive capable. It gets tougher when choosing a product, because the public at large and the companies who make products for us to buy dont have a clue to the differences betwen Mylar and Mylar-D. So when i buy flips or sleeves, i look for the Mylar, Prolar or Melinex-516 'logo' or brand - this basicaly assures me the product is a polyester film (unless the seller is flat out lying). It always concerns me when a company does not feel safe enough to imprint their company on the flip/sleeve. It woulnt be too difficult to imprint a small logo or bandname on the very edge so as not to interfere with the viewing of the item within.

So when i researched and wrote this thread, i didnt know anything except how PVC was bad. Along the way i learned alot about the different chemical compounds, alot of different brands, and how it really doesnt matter how much we spend on a particular product knowing its the same product as something else that sells for half the price. Knowing the chemical the product is made from is alot more important the blindly trusting the company who manufactures it!

I know what i buy is safe, for now.

 

I like the holders that SellitStore offers. I had originally preferred the look of a different brand, (I don't know what it was, the notes I bought came in them) but I eventually was paying more attention, and noticed that the corners of those holders that I preferred were rounded on the inside...that's no good! If I have a note with good corners, and put it all the way into the sleeve...there go the corners. I've taken any note I had that has good corners out of there.

Also, I think they might be made from PVC. PVC has a distinctive feel to it and the more I handled them the more I realized they were the same feel.

Besides currency I also collect trading cards. The most popular way to store cards is in PVC pages. I learned long ago NOT to use them because if the cards were UV coated, it would be damaged by the PVC, they would loose their shine and take on a hazy look. Luckily currency is not UV coated.

I don't think you will find acetate used too much any more. It's too volatile. As it ages it turns yellow and warps. Early model cars were made of Acetate and now 90 to 95% of those still in existance are warped badly, and there is no way to repair them; the companies switched to styrene in the early 60s and the plastic does not change over time like the acetate does.

 

I collect baseball cards as well, Or at least i used to in the early 80,s have
A big collection but like everything else the market is in the tank, But that
market has been down for years.

I have several huge books with about 250 pages each, I believe the material
To be PVC but i have noticed a hardening of the pages in addition to some
Discoloration also the pages are really sticking together which i found odd, I have Removed the cards from these pages and will seek other
Materials for storage.

 

Good idea! I use the 900 count boxes, which I have been told aren't made any more...lucky for me I have a stockpile of them! It was probably about a decade ago when I discovered that they were damaging my cards...but believe it or not some people on card message boards told me that I was wrong and crazy! I'm telling you people, I have proof...but they didn't want to hear it. I no longer post on that board...

 

just remember, that everyone, even members of this forum, all have a different opinion. While we believe that PVC is bad for our coins and currency - some emmbers still swear by it. We have what we can call proof that it is bad - and yes, they have their proof that it is safe.

my opinion is to err on the side of caution. But just because i may not agree with their opinion - i wont hold it against them

 

I agree Daggar!!

You really have to go with your own experiences here, There are so many
Manufactures and different materials being used how can you ever keep
Track or know what you even have!!

 

You are right Jon but this was clearly damaging the cards...and they told me I was crazy! As I found out later, the members of that board is all about posturing, making sure that only their chosen few answers are acceptible, and getting high post counts. I don't even know if it's still in existance, I have not visited it since 2005 or so!

Here is another thought: If the sleeves stick to each other...that is not a good thing...you want sleeves that aren't going to stick to anything, either other sleeves or the notes inside them!

 

The sleeves i use are frustratingly slippery to each other. There is absolutely no sticking lol they slide right off each other, and drive me crazy if i am trying to work on a stack. Whats odd, is my coin flips and my currency sleeves are 'supposedly' the same material. My flips, however, do tend to be a bit frition-y with each other. The currency sleeves are 15 mil total thickness, while the coinflips are maybe 6. They are much thinner then the sleeves. So i dont know if the thickness makes them more rigid and less 'sticky', or if its just because of a different manufactuer. The flips i use are not tacky to the coins, but are held fairly securly within the flip.

The biggest concern i would have about flips or sleeves being 'sticky' is what would be causing that stickiness, and would it be harmfull to the item contained within. As mentioned, manufacurers are not very forthcoming with how their product is made, or even what its made of in a lot of instances. We may know more years down the road as more information is released... but for now - we all must base our decisions on whatever information is found!

 

See this post: http://www.cointalk.com/t65972/#post667634