Do Interceptor coin holders and Interceptor individual boxes for certified coins protect rare coins?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by brinssig, Dec 7, 2018.

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  1. Bambam8778

    Bambam8778 Well-Known Member

    Nothing came through except the quote @spirit ? Not sure what you were trying to say.
     
    Bambam8778, Dec 9, 2018
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  3. spirit

    spirit Member

    But what is the material ''Eva-Dry'' is made of? If it is common plastic, it too may be giving off noxious gases? If it is inert, nice item to have.
     
    spirit, Dec 9, 2018
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  4. Bambam8778

    Bambam8778 Well-Known Member

    I really don't know. I tried to look on their website and found nothing about the material they are made of. I would wager that the befits of reducing the moisture outweighs the gases. I open and close that thing at least a handful of times a week so whatever gases are being kept out so to speak re enter or exit when it is opened. I have by no means an exceptional set up. It is however the best I can do with what i have and I think it works pretty well! I did notice that for a while it would remain at the 50% humidity for a while. After the thing works for a few weeks, it is pulling all the moisture not only out of the air but I am sure the packaging or anything else there so it doesn't have to work as hard the longer you have it going to reduce the overall humidity.
     
    Bambam8778, Dec 9, 2018
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  5. spirit

    spirit Member

    It may also be interesting to see what the inside is made of. Hopefully, no copper coil-like materials. How much does it cost? Overall, I think it is very good to have. If you have the chance for whatever reason, ''crack'' one open to check its insides. All the best.
     
    spirit, Dec 9, 2018
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  6. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    BamBam - given what you have said that your safe is only 1.5 cf, the size of the unit you are using approx 3x9x8 and weighing 1.2 lbs, and how often you have to recharge it, every 2-3 weeks - I'd say you need to look at getting another safe, a different safe. I don't know what brand of safe you are using but if it's a Sentry you should definitely stop using it as even the manufacturer warns of excessive moisture inside them. And given what I mentioned above even if it's not a Sentry it sounds like your safe is doing exactly the same thing - producing excessive moisture.

    If the safe itself were not a problem, a unit that size, that big, should last for at least 6 months in a safe that small. And that's even considering that you lived in a humid area.

    As for the outer plastic of those units, I have no idea what they are made of, or if it is or is not harmful in any way. The material inside that actually absorbs the moisture is silica gel, the same material that just about all similar dehumidifier units use, and it is perfectly safe for coins.

    Personally, I used these for decades, the 40 gram size -

    [​IMG]

    You can find them here -
    http://www.jpscorner.com/silica-gel-humidity-control.html

    Even in a 4.5 cf safe one of those would last about 3 months before it needed recharging. And they only cost about $6, and all the materials are inert.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 9, 2018
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  7. spirit

    spirit Member

    Thank you Bam and GDJMSP, I've learned something valuable today. Merry Christmas!
     
    spirit, Dec 9, 2018
    #26 + Quote Reply
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  8. Bambam8778

    Bambam8778 Well-Known Member

    I'll have to check in to those smaller units you showed as well. I just went down there to get it out and charge it again. What I realized I am doing is charging it before I really need to. Mostly based on paranoias I guess that I am not getting the full go at it. They are not anywhere near the green color that it says I should wait to charge so it probably would last a full couple of months i guess if I followed directions. I don't use a sentry safe. I open it so often that I'm sure this doesn't help the situation either. I'm happy with it. Are you saying that based on how often I recharge it I should be looking at buying something else or are you saying that because I can only get it down to (today) 39% I should be buying something else?
     
    Bambam8778, Dec 9, 2018
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  9. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    I was basing my comments on the time frame you related, and what I know of safes. Some of them, maybe even many of them, use fireproofing materials that physically produce excessive moisture inside the safe. And since humidity is one of the primary things one needs to avoid, any safe that does that, it's a very bad idea to use that safe for coin storage.

    And even if your unit, given it's size, is at approx 40% saturation in 2-3 weeks, that pretty much tells me there is definitely a problem with the safe.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 9, 2018
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  10. spirit

    spirit Member

    I just bought 2 eva-dry units!
     
    spirit, Dec 9, 2018
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  11. Bambam8778

    Bambam8778 Well-Known Member

    What does your safe stay at? Humidity wise.
     
    Bambam8778, Dec 9, 2018
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  12. brinssig

    brinssig Active Member

    I have a coin that came from GSA Services back in the early 1970's. What would be the best way of protecting the coin? Someone had showed me copper-colored pages that are used in coin albums to draw impurities out of the air and I was thinking of wrapping one around the holder but I can't find them and I am not sure what is the brand name for them.
     
    brinssig, Dec 9, 2018
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  13. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    desertgem, Dec 9, 2018
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  14. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    I have no idea as I never attempted to measure it. All I can tell you is that with the size of my safe 2 of those 40 gram packs did the job. Typically I needed to recharge them every 3 months.

    I don't know that what you're suggesting would serve your purposes. But I'd be very hesitant to use the sheets that desertgem linked to as they are covered with glue and the glue itself could easily be a bigger problem than anything else.

    But to answer your primary question I described proper storage in post #11 of this thread. All of it combined, that IS pretty much the best thing you can do.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 10, 2018
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  15. Bambam8778

    Bambam8778 Well-Known Member

    Just playing devils advocate here. If you don't measure the humidity, how can you attest to the fact that they have done the job?
     
    Bambam8778, Dec 10, 2018
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  16. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    It's pretty easy, because the coins stayed the way they were - for decades.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 10, 2018
    #35 + Quote Reply
  17. Bambam8778

    Bambam8778 Well-Known Member

    I'm dying to know the humidity level in your safe throughout those 3 months between recharge. Florida is damper than MD. Maybe I'll send you one of these for christmas! They fit in the safe perfectly![​IMG]
     
    Bambam8778, Dec 10, 2018
    #36 + Quote Reply
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  18. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Uhhh Bambam - I quit collecting coins in 2006. And when I did, I was not living in Florida.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 10, 2018
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  19. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Here's the thing, the silica gel packs I used tell you when they need to be recharged. So it doesn't matter where you live, they will still tell you when they need to be recharged. And as long as you check them, and do it when ya need to, and follow all the other proper storage conditions - you'll have no problems.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 10, 2018
    #38 + Quote Reply
  20. brinssig

    brinssig Active Member

    I agree with you on the copper sheets that were recommended. They don't look like what I was talking about anyway. The sheets I was talking about are specially made for coin albums to draw impurities out of the air. I was in a coin store and someone had mentioned them but I don't know who the person is or how I could track them down.

    I'm not sure I want to
    Do you know if this will also work in a fire-proof safe? My understanding is fire-proof safes can be rather humid inside.
     
    brinssig, Dec 10, 2018
    #39 + Quote Reply
  21. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    For whatever it is worth, it is an Acrylic glue. I wouldn't expect any problems from it.
     
    desertgem, Dec 10, 2018
    #40 + Quote Reply
    Cheech9712 likes this.
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