My parents have an heirloom of 1913 series of coins in a Whitman case. The barbers are spinning and the 50 cent piece is actually developing circles. Apart from leaving the case alone, is there a safe way to prevent them from moving? I know the case will be taken out and shown many times as it has quite significant value as a sentiment. Thanks in advance for the help.
I expect (or at least hope) that the "developing circles" are on the case, not the coin itself. Pictures will help.
I haven't been watching the coin the whole time, of course, but I'm pretty sure that damage existed before the coin went into the holder. If it were fresh, it would be brighter, not darker.
You could open the case, remove the coins, and heat stake the retaining rim just a little bit with a soldering iron or woodburning tool so that the interference will inhibit rotation of the coins. Just make sure it distorts in a desired direction, so you are still able to reassemble the halves of the case.
Open the case, remove the coin. Cut a small shim from a slide from a Dansco or Whitman album. Put shim in hole and snap the coin back into the hole so it compresses the shim between the coin and the edge of the hole. Close the case. The wedged shim should keep the coin from spinning and being clear should not be distractingly visible.
The better date is 1913 no mint mark for Barber halves. (The picture shows a half, not a quarter.) A 1913-S quarter in Good is a thousand-dollar coin. It's extremely unlikely that a Barber quarter in a 1913 year set will just happen to be a genuine 1913-S.
Indeed. I've done similar with some coins in my 2x2 whitman snaps...more for just stability or rattle than anything of damage...by snipping a small piece off of a spare or used black retainer ring (after cutting it from round to make a straight piece) from a round airtite or other capsule and carefully wedging it between the rim of the coin and the holder. Usually I do two or four...at 12 and 6 and/or 3 and 9...for aesthetic symmetry. Have always liked those holders from way back...glad you can still buy them...me for certain coins I'm not removing often, or slabbing. Hate the 2x2 white carboards requiring staples, flattening staples, etc...hate staples, period...! To each their own.
As said by others, the circle on the OP's coin is from a coin rolling machine. I used to see them on Mercury Dimes all the time. It's not from the holder.
I was wondering the same thing. Notice how the bottoms of the coins are at different levels? I'm thinking they pour some resin, submerge just part of a coin as the resin hardens, then pour some more for the next coin. A somewhat more involved version of this...