I've searched and found some threads talking about preferences on how to store coins but none that discussed what brand of holders you use. I've heard a lot of mention of AirTites which seems good, but they are round, I really perfer 2x2s. I bought some whitman brand hard plastic 2x2's and was disappointed at them. They weren't air tight, cracked fairly easily, some wouldn't fit together right and the plastic windows often had imperfections in them. I'm currently using a brand called supersafe coinholders. They are cardboard with mylar plastic, but instead of staples they are self adhesive. But I've had them for a couple of years now and after looking at my coin collection for the first time in a while I noticed that a few of them are coming apart because the adhesive isn't holding up and some are also yellowing around the edges of the cardboard...even though the holder uses inert mylar I'm starting to think the adhesive it uses may not be so inert and that is what is causing the yellowing. It hasn't effected my coins since they don't touch the adhesive, but I'm worried it may eventually cause problems I'm thinking about the intercept shied brand holders, but was wondering if anyone has used them. They are a little expensive at about $4 for a 3 pack, but that isn't nothing if they would hold up for a few lifetimes. Any other brand names that you use and consider good please post them. I'm looking for hard plastic 2x2s in particular. Thanks
We don't use 2X2's. For my nicer raw coins, I use Intercept Shield Albums. For my 'just for fun' raw coins, I use Dansco Albums. My dad uses Dansco Albums for his raw coins. For my Morgan and type set, I use Lighthouse Grande Binders with graded coin pages. We do NOT use Whitman anything. That self adheasive thing you described scares me. For us, the 2x2 was more hasle than it was worth. With the albums, we don't get the coins contacting or rubbing each other. The albums are nicer to pull out and show off vs. and album of 2x2's or flips. An advantage to 2x2's is you can write your notes on them. An Idea for you: Have you thought about migrating your coins to airtite holders in flips? I bought a whole mess of mylar flips from AMEX and they came with a little peice of paper you could put in the other side and write on. No staples, no glue, a bit bulky. Just a thought. That's the best I got for you. Sorry, don't remember the brand names. IMHO: 2x2's with staples and coins don't mix.
Save yourself the **** and don't get any 3 hole 2x2... OMG!!! Utter nightmare just to save a few bucks... I've bought a few coins that came in the self adhesive 2x2, and I had to tear it to pieces to get the coins out!!! Staples are much better especially if you use a flat clinch stapler. Much easier to remove. The mylar flips are cool but don't like to stay in the notebook pages... So I'm a fan of the good old fashion 2x2 with staples... It's hard to beat what works...
I've been using self adhesive 2x2's (Supersafe) for about ten years now and never had a problem with them. I like them because it eliminates the use of staples which is a plus to me. When I first started using them I also worried that the adhesive wouldn't hold and that they might harm my coins, but they haven't. They're all I ever use. Bruce
Here's the thing with my Supersafes. Most are fine, but some have yellowed around the outside edges of the holder and some a coming apart, the adhesive is no longer holding. But the problem ones are all from the same batch. The ones where the adhesives isn't holding are all quarter sized. But the cent holders which I've had for the same about time are still holding strong. I think I may have just got a box or two that had the adhesive mixed wrong at the factory.
You really will not find an "air tight" holder. The closest you will get to "air tight" are sealed hard plastic slabs (sonic sealed or otherwise). A number of brands sell the hinged hard plastic 2x2 holders, but, as you stated, there are a number of problems with them. I personally use mylar 2x2 (and 2.5x2.5) plastic flips. Using an impulse sealer on them, you are able to make them semi-air-tight. You have the added option of sealing an insert in the opposite side of the insert (making it more of a 4x2) to put information on it, which could subsequently be folded over. Wizard Coin sells the Saflip (Kointainer) brand for a little over $5 for 50 of them (excluding shipping). I do not have any real preference for brand on mylar flips. Saflip is a more expensive one, but absolutely safe. Any brand that is mylar does well. My preferred method is snap-together hard plastic 2x3 slab holders. We wholesale the Miller Hobby brand, and that's the brand I personally use. I like how they stack easily for storage and have plenty of room to place information about the coin. They are a bit more "bulky" than hard plastic 2x2, but not by so much that it matters much to me. They are definitely more "bulky" than Saflips, but you have the advantage of the hard plastic giving your coins added protection. If space is an issue, I would recommend 2-pocket mylar Saflip holders. If maximizing the safety of your coins is an issue, I would suggest MIller Hobby (or Collector Safe) 2x3 slab holders. There is another brand of 2x3 slab holders by BCW, but I have not personally used them, and the ones I have seen have the BCW logo on them, much like the Coin World slab holders.
@NPCoin Thank you for turning me on to the Miller Hobby brand. I have never heard of that one before and I like the idea of getting the 2x3 holders to add information about the coin in the extra space. I've never even seen 2x3 holders except the ones used by professional grading services. The only place so far that I can find that sales them is directly from millerhobby.com for $1.25 each. They offer boxes of 25 and even 400, but don't say they offer bulk discount for them. What do you mean "we wholesale" to you have website or store you sell them from? How much are they?
