I don't know if this product is brand new, but I had never seen it before, so thought I would post. Ziplock has both quart (a little more than 7" x 7") and gallon (a little more than 10" x 10") sized "vacuum" bags. They're designed to be used in the freezer to prevent freezer burn. But I immediately thought of coins. There is a starter pack that contains the pump and three quart bags. I noticed these because they were on sale - 3 for $5, so I bought one and also a gallon box of 8 sacs for $2.89. Here's a link: http://www.ziploc.com/?p=b10 The quart size is great for an assortment of 2x2's, mint/proof sets, pretty much anything "smallish". The gallon size is the obvious choice for albums. I think any Dansco or Whitman classic would fit. For my trial, I got both a Dansco SBA album and the Dansco Sacagawea album in one bag. The bags are more heavy duty than your regular ziploc and are kind of "plasticy" in nature. Basically, put the items in, zip it shut and then put the pump on the circle and pull the air out. It IS powerful. In fact, I had a bunch of silver "blue" ikes and I didn't get anywhere near maximum removal of air because it was really compressing the packaging. The two albums in one gallon sac are like a brick. Often we hear about how air is the enemy and I've never bothered with the bags that require a vacuum cleaner, etc. But here's a real simple and seemingly quite powerful remover of excess air in these bags. The real test will be to see if they don't gradually let air back in. So we'll see. Something to check out the next time the missus is spending too much time in the cereal lane and you've already bought the pizza and beer.....
I have vacuum sealed all of my slabbed, burnished surface American Silver Eagles in FoodSaver pint size bags to prevent the "milk spot" condition. You can get up to four slabs into one bag, and so far, the vacuum seals are holding and the coins look fine. Also cut a few down to size before sealing for a single slab. Did some research and learned that the FoodSaver bags contain no PVC. Don't know about other bags.
I hate to tell you this---but the milk spots can still show up even like you have them stored. Milk spots are only found on modern coins and they are due to a washing process the mint uses. I've had ASE get the spots a few years after they had been slabbed. Speedy
And the coins that you had spot were vacuum sealed? The whole point of the vacuum is to prevent any residue on the surface from reacting with the air.
No....but as we both know...nothing is 100% airtight, and even then. This is a wash on the planchet and if they are going to spot they will spot. Only time will tell. My coins that did spot where in NGC slabs, which are said to be air-tight, or at least...the one that is the most air-tight. It's kindof like fingerprints on coins. It might take a few days, or maybe alot longer....but they can, and will pop out on your coin if they are there. I don't believe that Zip-loc bags have PVC in them, because they are Food-Grade. Speedy
Whatever you do, don't put raw MS and proof coins in them, because they will develop a weird "haze" on them, which, makes them look blahh, lol. Phoenix
I've been putting coins in Whitman Classic Albums and then in plastic bags for probably 30 or 40 or 50 years now. At my age not sure when. Eventually Zip lock bags were invented so I started putting all my Albums in those. I also place proof and uncirc sets in those as well as many other coins. I push out as much air as possible prior to closing them. I've never had a coin tone, tarnish, tint, corrode, etc using this process. Many years ago I contacted many plastic food container manufacturers and they all stated there is NO PVC in any of their products. Look at the lables and use the internet to find their email or phone numbers and check your self. If air or other gasses can not get to a coin, nothing will happen to that coin. If a coin is sealed in a slab and starts to change in any way at all, there is a leak in that slab. If a coin in a slab starts to change you can just place it in water to see if it bubbles. If it bubbles there is a leak. If not you've got nothing to lose since water will not hurt the plastic.
