The storage method you decide on really depends on what coins you have, what their value is and if and how you want to view them.
Of the 2x2 options available we only use staple 2x2's and not adhesive 2x2's because of the risks of the holders opening and also the adhesive adhering to the coin surface and leaving residue on the coin. There are 2 types of staple 2x2's widely available in Australia.
These are:
1. Lighthouse available in a white box with blue design containing 25 holders
(has lighthouse on top tab)
2. Renniks available in clear plastic boxes of 50 holders
(has crown on top tab)
We have found the Renniks holders to be a better alternative because the window material is thicker and therefore more protective of the coin. It is not prone to tearing as we have found sometimes occurs with the Lighthouse one's. It's always wise to ensure there are no cardboard dust particles on the surface of the 2x2 when holdering up your coins as they may cause spotting on your coin over time. This being said, both these types of 2x2's are good options for bulk coin storage in polypropylene 20 pocket coin pages in polypropylene albums. Remembering it is unwise to store any of your collections near PVC.
Another option for use in 20 pocket coin pages is 2 inch by 2 inch "Saflips" available from The Purple Penny website. These are double pocket coin flips. You can put the coin in one side and heat seal it in if you wish. The other side folds over and has a second pocket which could house your coins' description or information you wish to record. We've written an article on The Purple Penny website about how to use these Saflips. They slide easily into 20 pocket coin pages but do have a tendency to be a little loose -hold the page upside down and it may fall out. For this reason as with any coin holder we recommend your album have a slip cover so if a coin does come loose in the album then it is easily retrieved and not lost.
The material used for both the Saflips and the windows in the cardboard 2x2's is Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) . It is a polyester material which used to be called Mylar which was just a brand name used by Dupont. It is often still called Mylar by a lot of people.
Some album pages and 2x2 holders are made from plasticised or unplasticised pvc. It is important to steer clear of these options. If in doubt then ask for clarification from your supplier or dealer.
"The important thing when selecting holders is to buy ones made from the right materials - ask the supplier exactly what it is made of - if he doesn't know, shop elsewhere. Safe materials include polyester, polyethylene (food grade), polystyrene, polypropylene & Plexiglas. PVC, whether it is plasticized or not is not acceptable nor is acetate. The one acetate exception that I have found is Kointains - they are made from an acetate & appear to be very stable - I don't think the recipe has changed in over 50 years - I think they're a great little holder for certain applications." http://www.cointalk.com/t51602/
If you have expensive, rare and valuable coins in your collections then it's worth considering other options. We have found air-tite capsules are good. Kointains are another option but the inserts are punched for US sized coins and not Australian coins. After careful consideration of everything the approximate $30 cost of submitting a coin to PCGS for slabbing might well just be worth it for piece of mind, coin security and guarantee of authenticity the slab provides. It also provides a sound base for reselling your coin if you choose to do so.
These options bring storage questions back into review. Hard plastic HDPE pages are available that house round capsules and slabs so these can be stored in albums.
Posted by harrisk at August 14, 2009 1:44 PM
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