I think the ideas, experiences and suggestions on this board about coin preservation have been excellent. Some of us have varying degrees to which we take coin preservation, storage, mounting and displaying our coins-the point being we are all doing this to preserve our numismatic treasures for future generations. Share more successes, disasters and tips plus anything new that looks like it is coming on the market.
I agree. I think your last thread ended up being pretty informative. I don't know anything new and I'm certainly not a veteran collector. I'm just wondering how much further storage technology can go? I know it has come a long way (now I'll wait for GD to come on here and tell me it hasn't :mouth: lol ). But I wonder what they may come out with in the future. Maybe some material that's one time use, seals itself on a coin, removes all air, blocks out any moisture, UV proof, nearly indestructible, and is fireproof?? Who knows? Should be interesting. I know how they could make a better album but it would have to be custom made and probably cost prohibitive. They should make it so there's a piece of plastic or glass to lay the coin on, then have sliding halves that can be closed on the edges of a coin without having to push it in, that snap together, with a button release. Each one would also have slightly raised pieces of plastic or glass on the front, that could not touch the coin. If secured on the edges, it can't move and you never touched the surface. Heck, add rubber seals and make each one airtite made with Intercept Shield technology. I think an attractive one could be made that might even win over the most anti-album person. No? hya:
I disagree that "we are all doing this to preserve our numismatic treasures for future generations" Should I put a common date 1942 Walking Liberty on a mantle-piece and bow down to it? Hardly. I am here to enjoy my coin collection and of course, preserve it in a reasonable fashion (for my and my family/friend's enjoyment). I am not the curator of a time capsule. These discussions have a tendancy to go to the extreme of micro-scratches and hospital masks. I think more than one new coin collector has read these threads and proabably been scared to death to touch a coin. Goodness forbid if he/she was put off from the hobby by these extreme practices. It gets to the point where you wonder whether you can put a list of coins in with your coin album because it might release some god-awful chemical which will corrode your coins down to nothing. It's amazing how those fiew coins we have left today have survived.
I guess it comes down to the value of your coins and the condition they are in, if they are circulated common valueless crap, then feel free to abuse them if you desire-one extreme or if you had an 1804 Proof $1 and looked for the best slab or holder with a vault with clean room for atmospheric purification-that is the other extreme. Most of us fit somewhere in the middle of these extremes. Using gloves, tongs and face masks when handling or mounting coins in a holder is not an uncommon practice, just ask the copper collectors. I have used them too with canned air to make sure no dust is sealed in the holder. To each his own I guess and it depends on how much you value the preservation of your collection. I am amazed that so many coins survived without the benefits of modern protection materials, which in some cases like PVC did more harm than good to some unfortunate coins. Looking at a red US Half Cent tells me even simple methods of preservation can be benefitial in the long term. Today, we have much more at our disposal to keep our coins preserved for the next generation. Just remember, someday your collection will be someone else's.
When it comes to ancient coins, preservation must be taken into consideration - at least with bronze coins. Expose a 2000 year old bronze coin to heat and humidity, and you may end up with a small pile of blue-green dust within short time. I would be quite annoyed to see my Nero sestertius go that way. As i live in Norway, heat and humidity are luxury most of the year, but this summer it has been more of it than previous summers. Two of my ancient coins now show small signs of beginning bronze disease. Yesterday I ordered a pack of Renaissance Wax to put on my bronze coins. Are there any of you who have experience with R.W.?
I wasn't using "you" in the sense of you personally or your collection. I was illustrating that there are extremes in preservation methods or concerns. Crap to me when it comes to coins are those that are neglected, abused or virtually worthless at the same time.
I have used RW on my Curio and Relic gun collection and it works very well sealing out the elements that are the bane of a gun collector. I am sure it will work well with ancient coins as well.
That's good news, Virginiaman Do I put on a very thin layer, or do I use more and wipe off excess wax afterwards?
Svessian: I would use more and wipe off the excess until only a thin layer remains. You don't need much of it and it lasts a long time, however, you may have to repeat the process a couple of times. RW is good stuff.
I think Intercept Shield holders and boxes along with sittacants is a reasonable and cost effective way to preserve our 19th & 20th century coins well in the future . The question I have is If you drop am Intercept Shield 2X2 holding a silver dollar sized coin , and it hits the floor will it pop open , and is there a safe way to seal them so they wont . rzage
I tend to agree. There's plenty of places to buy large silica gel packs that are over-kill for most situations and will last a very long time keeping humidity way down. I own some of most everything IS makes. Their 2x2's are the best. I don't think they would pop open if you dropped one. I photograph all my nicer stuff before I put it away and log it in my spreadsheet with my info for it. That way I can look at stuff any time I want without digging through everything or having to fiddle with and risk dropping a 2x2. More common stuff, that I like but isn't as valuable, I leave out to look at. Usually the only time anything sees the light of day is when it's time to add a new one.
Love RW, for circulated coins. I took their advice and use it on everything....except the cats as it makes them slippery and they fall out of trees. I find that it often helps makes ancients more easily seen by the eye.
I am curious if there is some kind of strip or something that you can use inside other boxes that is like Intercept Shield? For instance, I have lots of Eagle 2x2 boxes that look neat, but other than a dessicant pack, have no other protection built in. I seem to remember there is some kind or paper backed silver/copper foil that is used by archivists that you could add to a box or similar container. Anyone know about this stuff and where I might buy it?
Is that along the same concept as an anode? They attach zinc anodes to underwater equipment to attract corrosion and keep it away from the steel components of the structure. Quite a neat concept really. I seem to remember reading here about someone who stored their cent collection surrounded by junk cents in order to intercept any corrosion before it could hit the good cents, but I think GD said it wasn't a good idea. (I think the theory is sound, just the application wasn't correct.)
I'm pretty sure that was the forerunner of the Intercept Shield line , they were called corrosion Intercept bags since discontinued and taken over by the IS products . IS does have various size boxes to put your slabs , proof sets , and 2X2s in . rzage
I found a product from the same Lucent-Bell Labs technology in Intercept Shield called Corrosion Intercept. They make strips for the jewlery business that can be cut to fit into boxes of various sizes. I ordered 40 of them to use inside my Eagle boxes so they now have the same protection as Intercept Shield boxes, although I have enough boxes of both to keep my collection.
