I am facing a dilemma, i have just gotten back into the hobby after a couple years and i opened my album of BU silver eagles that i got a few years ago to see what i needed to finish off my collection (i have 13 out of the 22 in the series) and i noticed that some of them started to tone, i have mixed feelings about this. at the moment there just beginning to tone so they aren't the pure white anymore but there not rainbows of color either, just kinda dull around the edges. so im thinking about just leaving these in the album and letting them tone, and starting up a second set that will go into Intercept shield 2x2's then into a Intercept shield Box, then into a Ziploc bag with silica gel. so in the end i will have a set toning naturally and a pure white set. also where can i buy the ASE's at a good price? i see at http://www.raykomkacoins.com/ they have them for 25 a piece, i have never bought here before but i have heard good things about them. i doubt i can find them much cheaper any where else seeing as silver is 17 something an oz. but even a couple dollars cheaper each would add up fast buying a set and a half of them. im a college student and dont have unlimited resources but i will spend the money to do it right. this is probably my favorite coin design and i dont ever plan on selling these. so i guess my questions in a nutshell are intercept sheild 2x2's in a intercept sheild box in a ziploc = no toning ever, correct? best place to buy uncirculated ASE's? also how long does it take for the entire surface of a coin to get a nice tone being stored in and album? thanks for reading
Morning J: I love collecting ASE's. You'll find a lot of folks around here do too. I'm not too clear on the toning issue myself. I've had some toning on ASE's that have been stored loose with no protection. The ones that have been kept in the original mint plastic holders seem to be doing quite well...nothing in the way of toning yet but i've only started collecting them that way for the last three years; to soon to tell. The Dansco alblum that holds my ASE's shows no signs of toning....had that for five years (cool dry place?). As for where you can get the best buy....you'll get a lot of opinions from folks around here. Never used the guy you mentioned. You might want to check out the guy that I use. Goes by the name of "Mint Products" and comes out of New Hampshire. Been using him for the last couple of years...prices fluctuate as silver goes up and down on the mercantile.
IMO, I just don't think there is a "perfect" storage method to guarantee that a coin will never tone. Like all my coins I only buy them at coin shows or a coin shop. Even then I have had to refuse coins because the dealer picked them up by the obv/rev with bare fingers. Large open fields with a large fingerprint make for one ugly coin. Also you get to personally pick your coin and can usually get a little better price when dealing in person. I think the environment where the album is stored will have more influence on the the time an entire surface will tone more than the album it is stored in. I have some ASE's and Maple Leaf's that have been stored in cheaper cardborad album sleeves for over 10 years and the outer edge is all that has toned and they are stored in a humidity controlled cabinet. I couldn't really give an accurate time period of how long it would take yours but I can truthfully say mine will take.... longer than 10 years.
I don't think it is realistic to be a silver coin collector and to expect the coins not to tone. You can start a new set and use intercepts. In about 20 years you'll know if it worked or not.
Coins toning is completely and totally inevitable. It begins the instant a coin is struck. You can slow it down, but you cannot stop it unless you take a coin the instant it is made and place into a completely inert and 100% airtight holder. Unfortunately, no such coin holder exist.
We build a lot of complete sets of Silver coins and we find the Dansco is the best from keeping the coins protected and from turning colors. Like others have said silver can/does tone but just make sure your slides are completely covering the holes. If there is a gap in the slide and the hole the air can get in there and within a week or so you may be able to notice a toning spot....doesn't allows hold true. Make sure they are in a cool dry place and less humidity the better too! Thanks -Wes Komka
