Is it safe to place some mothball in the container where I keep my banknotes?

Dear all,

Hope you all are well.

Recently I saw some silverfish in my house and I am getting paranoid that they may attack my banknotes.

At the moment, I have put some dehumidifying agent in the large plastic container where I keep my banknotes in folder (maintaining the humidity level below 65). Just wonder if it is okay for me to put some mothball in the container because I was told that mothball drives away silverfish.

Or perhaps if you have other tips or effective way to keep away silverfish, please share with us here.

Thank you again for your kind advice.

Best regards,

 

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Welcome to Coin Talk @numismatic_bernard

I believe if you keep paper currency in Mylar currency sleeves AND store them in a sealed plastic container they should be safe from silverfish and other insects that like paper products. Silverfish prefer cool, moist, dark places with temperatures between 70o - 80° F and a relative humidity between 75% - 95%.

Where do you store the notes @numismatic_bernard ?

 

Hello Steveln,

Many thanks for your reply.

Mylar currency sleeves are very expensive in my country and most collectors in my country are using OPP plastic to store banknotes and stamps - it is actually well accepted by most serious collectors here.

I don't seal the OPP plastic and I put the plastic in a file folder. Then, I put the file folder in a large covered plastic container (82 liters) - not airtight - again not easy to find large size air tight plastic container here.

So far I have a hygrometer and dehumidifying agent inside the covered plastic container to check on the humidity level.

This is where and how I store my banknotes.
Thank you.

Best regards

 

Guess what they'll smell like? I would not.

 

Maybe you could treat the area or outer base part of the storage container with an insecticide of some type?

 

I agree with @Insider , and would not want my collection to smell like moth balls.


@clayirving has a lot of good information on his website. I did not see OPP, but I did see PP....maybe they are similar. Check it out.http://www.panix.com/~clay/currency/sleeves.html

As far as costs go, I would hate to see valuable or sentimental paper products ruined because of cheap holders/sleeves

 

I just feel sorry for those poor little castrated moths...seriously, mothballs are either naphthalene or para-dichloro-benzene, neither of which I would want around any collectables...except perhaps my fur coat collection

 

Grandma kept Grandpa's collection in her cedar closet in addition with mothballs too. That's why I don't recommend them. It took a while for the smell to leave the coins when I got them.

 

Home Depot sells silver fish bait traps and they work. I had a problem in my basement and they were hiding under some tounge and grove hardwood stored under my pool table. I also have a Sears 70 Pint dehumidifier going 24/7. Mothballs, no. An air tight ammo can might work for storage, along with some silica packs. Sportsman's Guide sells several different sizes all with rubber seals.

 

Yeah, but cedar smells much better than mothballs...maybe a new marketing ploy, scented coins, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

Thank you very much for all your input!

Best regards