I was curious what brands/kinds of storing materials you all use for storing coins free from PVC. For 2x2 flips, I have used Saflips, which I assume are the way to go. What about the pages/sheets the 2x2s go in to store in a binder? What kind should I get? Part of my problem right now is that I have coins in Saflips, but I think the sheets the 2x2s are in contain PVC, so that needs to be fixed. Also, what kind of binders do you all use to house the sheets in? Thanks!
PVC-free binders are safer and I have been using them for 10-20 years. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pvc+free+binders&ref=nb_sb_noss_ Jim P.S, Near the bottom, they do offer holders for 2x2.
I buy my binders from Staples. They are clearly marked as PVC free. I had some canvas binders but wasn't sure how the cardboard in the ones I had would cause problems so I replaced them.
Thank you all very much! This is great information. I had assumed PVC free binders would be difficult to find and uncommon. Turns out that is not the case. I am pretty sure my binder is not PVC free so I will have to get one that is.
Now, what about 2x2 flip holders? (i.e. the pages that you put the flips in for a binder) Is there a certain brand you all use? Hmm I didn't see the holders. Thank you for recommending the PVC free binders also.
I use the ones sold under the name "Lead Dog Products".. I bought a box of 100 at a reasonable price from one of the larger outfits, like Wizard or the like, a couple of years ago.
I imagine this post will generate some potentially vociferous responses. Know in advance that I will not respond to any of them unless they are based upon evidence. I don't know if these sheets are PVC-free and frankly I don't care. As far as I have been able to determine, the only time it matters if something contains PVC is if it is in contact with the coin. Now, I could be way off-base here but I haven't seen any evidence presented anywhere that PVC in the vicinity but not in contact has any deleterious effects. And that contact needs to be for an extended period of time, as measured in years as opposed to weeks. Keep a coin in a new PVC flip for six months, I'd say everything's OK. Keep it in there for 20 years, I'd say you're going to have problems. Could outgassing of chlorides in, for example, a safe or safety deposit box, produce a negative consequence? I don't know, but again I haven't seen any evidence - just supposition. Assuming your coin is in a non-PVC flip and the flip is in a 3-ring binder sheet for holding 2x2s and the binder and sheet has PVC among its constituent parts: If/when the PVC degrades over 5 or 10 or 20 years, how will it damage your coin? I don't know but it doesn't seem to me that it would. I have not seen any PVC coin damage other than the typical greenish sludge and pitting that accumulates on the coin's surface as the PVC degrades onto the coin's surface. I have not seen (but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist) any damage caused by non-contact exposure. I guess you can buy non-PVC 3-ring binders but again, I don't see what you are really gaining by that significant increased expenditure. If someone has evidence, not just conjecture, I would be happy to change my mind. Of course, if you subscribe to the precautionary principle then only buy non-PVC materials. And while you're at it, make sure that all paper, cardboard and wood products have non-acid, non-chloride constituents and are archive quality.
Then why are you replying to the thread considering that is what the OP is asking? Also worth noting that I did buy some nice PVC holders (sleeves) to store coins in around 1987. Fast forward to 2018 and a number of the copper coins were ruined with PVC damage. Not sure why I would be concerned with saving a few cents when it all could be avoided by going PVC free.
Sorry, but this is simply not true. It is and always has been the fact that as the softening agent ages, it puts off gasses which then condense on all the objects in the vicinity. And if coins are some of the objects in the vicinity then it is deposited on the coins. It has nothing to do with contact. Of course the closer it is, and especially in a contained area, then the more gasses will deposit on the coins, and the faster it will happen. Yes, it absolutely can, and will. As for the time factor, yes time does matter. Over short periods of time, I would estimate a couple of weeks at most, it's unlikely there would be enough harmful material deposited on the coins to matter much. But any longer than that and you're pushing your luck. One also needs to remember that when considering the time factor, the age of the flip and or other product that contains the PVC softening agents is just as important if not more important than how long the coins are in the vicinity. This is because the newer the material is, as in from the day it was manufactured, the more gasses it puts off in a shorter period of time. The easiest way to see an example of this is with new vinyl shower curtains. When you buy one and remove it from its package, and smell it, the smell is quite strong. But once that shower curtain has been hanging in use for a few months, if you smell it then, the smell will hardly be noticeable. The same thing is true with vinyl flips, and other vinyl materials. And, it is also true that there are other factors involved. Things like humidity and temperature, especially changes in temperature, and the air in the vicinity, matter a lot. Under certain conditions damage to the coins can occur much faster than it would otherwise. Bottom line, keep your coins away, far away, from anything made of vinyl.
