I need a better way to handle coins! Hate to use bare hands, even on the rims, and white gloved are difficult to work with. Been thinking about getting some soft/rubber tipped tweezers! Does anyone use tweezers? If so, what should I look for when I make my purchase? I want to preserve the coins not damage them!!!
I hate to use bare hands too. BTW, would you believe that the ONLY TIME I ever saw a professional use ANY KIND of gloves to examine a coin in the last 60+ years was during photographs for company advertising. As a matter of fact, I've never seen anyone at a coin show during that time wear them either. I suggest you wash your hands and dry them well. Then go play with your coins like 99.9% of the rest of THE WORLD - holding them by their edge. I Hope this helps. PS I do use a "tweezer-like" plastic tool to dip them.
I used to use gloves when plugging nice coins in my Dansco. I did two presidential albums with proofs and I did not want fingerprints on those proofs. I never felt like I had control of the coin with those white cotton gloves on…. I brought home some of rubber fingertip things that you use when you flip through papers at the office. I felt much more in control handling my coins with those on my fingers. Never experimented with tongs though.
yup yup rubber tipped tongs and white gloves.. at least for high end and proof coins.. most others get just my fingers on the edges
Virtually all my coins are slabbed so I don't have a handling problem. My only raw coins are inexpensive so no problem there.
I wash my hands twice with soap and hot water, then I rinse throughly with warm water. Pat dry, don’t touch anything and they I handle my coins by the edge if I must touch them very carefully. Never had a problem, not even 20 years later.
I dunno...wouldn't use tweezers unless rubber-tipped and even then may be issues with control/grip, loose rubber wearing off/breaking down...bottom line, could damage coins by dropping and/or scratching more than any issues with fingers. Never tried gloves of any kind for coins but for other things they were never as sure-fingered when working with smaller parts/pieces (coins). My advice is to stay with clean hands/fingers...on/by the rims...and always over a good table preferably on carpet with some inert/clean table mat/matting of some type...it's really the least-likely of all to "damage" coins by handling, IMO.
I always thought it was to use white gloves but I guess I was wrong . I see most using bare hands along the rim . I personally would still wear them for Proofs and High end specimens .
Eh, when you don't have high value coins in your collection, you don't need to worry about it... (I still hold mine by the edge though)
