Hey All! I have just pulled my PCGS and NGC coins out from my smaller safe.. I noticed that some of the coins were starting to tone.. Not many bit 4 or 5 out of 80... I would love to know you ideas on what would be causing a Slabbed coin tone.. My Small safe is on the floor in a closet.. She is Bolted through the floor and as safe as can be so I like it.. but it gets very cold in there.. maybe the cause? The Slabs that seem to be toned are 3 Sample Slabs.. Maybe less quality coins to start with?.. But one other is a Newer Pres. Dollar? (Why is that in there anyway?) The coins are Slabbed, In NGC Boxes of 20 and in a Safe.. Thanks for any comments on storage tech help... Your all great helps and this site has saved me more then once.. (Note I don't mind the Tone.. I like it.. just want to know why or how this is happening)
Several things will cause coins to tone or accelerate toning. Moisture - Reasonably easy to control wit desiccant (silica gel). Temperature Fluctuations - Tougher but still manageable. Basements are often good for this. Chemicals (generally airborne) - Tough because you have to know what, then find the source. For instance sulfur and silver REALLY like each other, but that's not good for appearance sakes. Smoking byproducts are nasty too.
Few things on Earth are air tight. Even some slabs leak air. And remember every time you open your safe, you let air in and out. If you have an excessive high humid day in your house and you open the safe, you let in that air. Eventually some may leak into anything you think is air tight. There are numerous methods to maybe not stop this completely but some things you could do would reduce such situations. For one thing install some of those Gel packs that absorb moisture in the safe. Remember too the more empty spaces there are in your safe, the more air is exchanged when you open the door. To minimize this, try to eliminate as much empty spaces as possible. You can do this by placing empty jars, cans or anything that would just take up spaces. In addition to this you could place anything you want to protect in Zip Lock Plastic Bags and push out as much air as possible. You mentioned how cold it gets in that closet. Note on almost anything that has been outside in the cold and broght in where humidty condenses on that object. This same situation may be happening when you open the closet door and then the safe. See there is anothe solution. Don't open the safe.
But I must look at them.. MUST! I love them. But you may be right.. I do open the safe a bit too much .. I will buy some silica packs.. My wife smokes like a chimney.. really she does.. like a chimney! I hope her smoking isn't the issue.. I would have to get rid of ......her. LOL
See there are numerous other solutions. 1. Get rid of wife. The money you probably spend on ash trays, lighters, cigaretts, air fresheners, matches, burnt clothing, etc could well be used for coins.:thumb: 2. Go into closet, turn on light, close door from inside. Stare at all coins for as long as you like and stay there for ever. 3. If you follow 2. above, take a computer with you so you can tell us how things are going. 4. Move to a dryer climate and don't tell your wife. :thumb:
LOL... My wife asked who has a couch for me to sleep on.. Then stated loudly "You and all your coin nerds can go to hell"... And walked out of the room.. So I am on my way to cleaner coins AND more $$ for COINS!!! Thanks to all.!!!!
You may want to continue harrasing her by saying most couches you would find would probably not smell like tobacco nor have burned holes in them either. You may also want to mention none of us want to go to hell since the heat would ruin our coins. :smile
Bet she thinks her lawyer can get her at least half of the coins, and it is probably true. ( well the lawyer may get 1/3). Remind her that some here are "Professional Coin Nerds" Not me. just a CN Jim
Make sure you store your coins with Silica Gel Desiccant, similar to this: http://www.silicagelpackets.com/
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All this talk about putting stuff in zip lock bags......really???? I've always read that PVC isn't good for silver coins. That is why they advertise PVC free sleeves to put your coins in. What about paper? Most paper contains a good deal of sulfur within it. So, if you have paper in that vault along with your coins, that could be the problem. Like do you have slips of authenticity, or how about other legal documents, such as car titles and such. If you store that paper stuff in you vault along with your coins....you might want to remove them.
SilverSurfer, It's my understanding that 'Food Service' grade zip-lock bags are OK for coins and storage. 'Archival' papers and envelopes for storage - steel vaults, dessicants for moisture. Some sleeves and 2x2s are bad also. Mylar plastic and PVC-free is, of course, the way to go. You are absolutely correct! Mike
You just have to stick around here a little more. I'll repeat this again for those that don't know. If you contact the manufacturers of any products you could ask if thier product contains PVC, Sulfur, Arsenic, Raioactive matierials, etc. Mention as they all do that this conversation may be recorded for authentication. I've done this with the makers of Zip Lock Bags. That is the SCJohnson company, Racinee, WI. 53403-2236. 1-800--558-5252. They will inform you that there is no PVC, Arsenic, Radium, Sulfur, Lead, etc., etc., etc. in their products. Just where do you find the info on Sulfur in paper products? Again, it may be with some products but again, contact the manufacturers rather than just imagining what may or may not be true. By the way if there was PVC in those Zip Lock bags, there would be millions of people turning green from all the food kept in them. :smile
