Collecting coins is a popular hobby with many people. Whether avid numismatists or keen investors any coin collector fully understands the importance of keeping the coins in as near perfect condition as possible. General wear and tear of coins can have a detrimental effect on the price of a coin and keeping them stored properly will help avoid this. Simply putting them in cardboard boxes or in your top drawer is unlikely to protect them to the extent you require.
How not to treat your prized coin collection
Constant and regular handling of coins damages them. The chemicals that are present in fingertips can leave permanent blotches on the surface of silver or gold and can remove the luster of a mint coin in minutes. Any handling of a coin should be done very carefully because dropping it is likely to damage it even more than the handling. The only real way to prevent this danger is to only handle it when you have to for moving or restoring. Also, stacking other items on top of a coin (including other coins) is likely to cause damage to all but the coin at the top. This is true even of those that are stored in a coin wallet or other storage container.
In fact, even the exposure of your coin to the air can damage it especially if the air is humid or damp. The only real way to look after your coin collection and ensure they remain in the best of condition is to store them in airtight and watertight containers. There are a number of different types of container and your budget as well as personal preference will decide the type you eventually opt for.
Types of coin storage
Ordinary jars are good enough for non-valuable coins such as bullion circulated coins, but you will need something with more protection if you have rare coins that you need to keep in pristine condition. Remember that the dyes found in paper can discolor coins so if you are going to use envelopes or other paper or card containers ensure that they are designed for the storage of coins.
Short-term storage
For short-term storage you may consider the coin wallet. They protect against handling and general wear but there are usually chemicals present in the wallet that can, over time, change the appearance and damage the luster of your coin collection. The same is true of most folders and albums. Acetate or Mylar flips are suitable for long-term storage but because they are quite brittle they should not be used when moving the coins as they can become easily damaged with quite disastrous results for your coins. A 2x2 is a piece of cardboard that is lined with Mylar. Once you have placed your coin in the container you can then staple the two halves shut. This keeps coins in very good condition and is also an inexpensive option making it the choice for medium grade coins over short or long-term storage.
Long-term storage
Where the coin wallet struggles to give long-term protection there are two good choices that will keep your coins safe for many years. Plastic tubes hold several coins of the same size. They are good for storing coins as long as they will not be moved; moving coins in a tube will cause them to bang against each other damaging the coin surface. The pinnacle of coin storage is the slab. More and more high-grade coins are being taken out of the specialist coin wallet and placed, instead, in a slab. A slab is sonically sealed and made from thick hard plastic. Almost impossible to break and completely protected against the elements this is the best choice, however it can prove costly. They are the best choice for high value coins.
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