Advice Needed on Preventing Tarnish in Long-Term Silver Storage

Hi All. I'm relatively new to Coin Chat.

I started asking questions on this thread and GDJMSP was good enough to post some answers for me (see the end of the thread):

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ho...midity-tips-for-cutting-down-humidity.330242/

But my questions abound.

I'm trying to find a long-term storage solution for silver that is the least labor intensive, doesn't involve a safe and looks ordinary (as opposed to a bright colored monster box that screams "I'm full of valuable silver" ).

Right now I have Air-Tight capsules, lots of ziplock bags, which my understanding from GDJMSP is that they are permeable long term, food storage containers, a Monster Box which is not air tight, a brown box to keep the whole thing looking like something ordinary (and not valuable), 3M anti-tarnishing strips, and Anti-Tarnish Silver Cloth which can be found here:

https://smile.amazon.com/Anti-Tarni...SU/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

I am very confused about what to do and would appreciate any and all advice from those knowledgeable and experienced in preventing tarnish in long term collectible silver storage.

 

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A capsule will slow things down. Putting it in a zip-lock will slow things down further. Putting some sacrificial active metal (freshly scraped Zincolns) in the zip-lock will slow things down even further. At that point, I think you're likely protected for a human lifespan -- as long as the silver didn't have anything on its surface when you put it away.

 

I don't know where you live, but I've lived in Southwest Florida since 1978 where heat, humidity, lots of rain and dampness are commonplace. I have lots of silver in my collections, and I have never had a problem with tarnish probably because my A/C runs almost constantly and I rarely have the windows open.

Chris

 

Keep mine in zip lock bags. The high end stuff gets a second layer in the form of a Tupperware container.

 

ditto here. zip locs and in tupperware containers. Although I add an antihumidity packet and 3M antitarnish strip in the smaller container (ziploc bag or if none, the tuperware container).

If you put all the stuff in the safe in no container then you have to consider how airtight the safe is because no antihumidity/tarnish device is going to keep out a constant infiltration of air. It's like leaky windows in that leaky windows don't keep the outside out from the inside.

If you keep stuff in the garage in something then you have to consider temperature swings and temp differences inside/out of a container and if any condensation can develop inside.

Just think (or write) each step through, the pluses and minuses and learn from it. You can make you decisions based upon building your knowledge and understanding of your particular situation.

 

The A/C running 24/7 is a constant dehumidifier, which is why you never had a problem. I can't run a dehumidifier constantly, so, that's not an option for me.

I'm in the Northeast near the coast. We get the worst of all worlds year round, that's why I need a really good solution.

 

Thank you. What are "freshly scraped Zincolns"? And how do they help? Are they better or worse than 3M anti-tarnish strips?

 

scraped post 1982 cents - aka "zincolns" because they have a zinc core and are thinly copper plated.

They are a metal which hopefully will be the first object any sulfides or other air pollutants will attack versus the objects you want to protect.

I refer the paper strips versus other metal coins due to their lightness, low cost (yes more than a penny) and won't scrap against anything.

For instance:
https://silverguard.com/pages/3m-anti-tarnish-strips-faqs
Q. What are 3M Anti-Tarnish Strips?
A. They're special absorbent paper that protects metal jewelry and other items from unsightly discoloration and tarnish, especially during shipping and storage. The Strips protect silver, nickel, copper, bronze, brass, tin and gold.

Q. How do they work?
A. They absorb sulfides and other pollutants in the air and prevent tarnish from occurring. They do not remove existing tarnish.

Q. How do I use them?
A. Simply put 3M Anti-Tarnish strips in a well-sealed enclosure with tarnish-free metal items. The more air-tight the enclosure, the longer the strips will remain effective.

 

true containers are not really 100% microscopically airtight.
Just put a smelly onion in a ziploc and put it in your refrigerator as a test.

But if you ever get floods in the basement or what not, I've had tupperware containers completely underwater for periods of time and no water was able to get inside. That's zippo water. That is the primary use for them and stopping large contaminents and minimizing all but the microscopic air flow.

You can use mason jars too if you want. Their not as easily stackable, heavier and tend to break if dropped by accident. And that rubber/plastic seal deteriorates and dries out over time.

pick your poison. The objective is to minimize contact to moving, contaminated air.

If you live near, say a chemical plant that spews sulfur into the air you'll find things tarnish very quickly. If you live out in the country, etc etc with cleaner air then you won't have as much of a problem.

I do store my other bulk coins in glass jars too.

 

There will be no "Air-Flow" until you have a pressure differential. Which is usually caused by temperature change. Whatever is in the bag/ jar/airtite/book/folder
is what your metal is mostly exposed to. Glass does not give off any residual chemical that I know of...

 

Pressure changes accelerate gas exchanges, but diffusion happens even in perfectly still air. You don't need air flow to get unwanted gases into a container.

 

Thank you for the clarification.

I need to really think about and try to wrap my head around the idea of Ball & Mason Jars for this. They seem like a bit much for me right now in terms of their weight, space, inability to stack them, difficulty in storing them and Murphy's Law which will have me dropping and breaking them in no time.

Had I realized that it would be such a hassle to keep silver tarnish-free, I may have gotten into a different hobby! LOL!

 

Thank you all for all your informed responses to my questions. I really appreciate it.

I, too, like the idea of the anti-tarnishing strips instead of the post 1982 pennies. Although the pennies can act as an "indicator" of a sort, while the strips don't have any indicators.

Just a few more questions if I may:

1 - I have Orange-To-Green Indicating Silica Gel packets that I would like to put into the ziplocks and Tupperware containers together with the 3M anti-tarnishing strips. Will there be any chemical problems with putting both of these products together in a bag or tupperware container?

2 - How often would you say I would need to change the 3M anti-tarnishing strips?

3 - I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with anti-tarnishing CLOTH and if so, do you know how it compares to 3M anti-tarnishing strips?

I live about a mile from the coast and salt (or something else) from the ocean is known to corrode the brass hardware people have on their doors. Not sure how that would translate into silver tarnishing, but if you know if that would make it worse, if you can please let me know. I may just need to try out the mason jars after all. Either that or give up a lot of the great silver items I've been getting into.

Thank you again for all your help and advice!

 

Re Glass Ball & Mason Jars - any tips on storing silver coins in them?

Jar sizes?

How to best store silver in them?

What you use for filler to stop the coins from jostling around in the jars?

Etc?

 

I'm not a chemical expert like some on this board are. Just an Economist. lol
So some of this is my opinion.

1 - I wouldn't think so. I have the silica packets with antitarnishing strips and have never had a problem.

2- depends how large a container, how often you open it, etc.
Think of it this way. When you close a container of any type you are closing in the ambient air. Thus the humidity, pollutants, etc that are in the air at that time. So if you close a container on a really humid day, that one packet may work hard and be done in a day (just giving an example). So you can look through the container and see it has changed colors. What do you do? open it up again exposing everything to the elements again to swap it out and start over? Or just wait until you open it later on to look at stuff and then change it ?

I put in recharged packets every couple months on a nice dry day. Dry for low humidity. My house's humidity is also normally balanced to minimize dust and for specific woods I have stored. My safe is also water tight (even through the lock hole) .. so it has a anti humidity device in it too. Though most of my good stuff is in a SDB.

The 3M thing I think I change out once a year which is only in my higher qualtiy silver stuff. For instance my new Apollo stuff will get everything for protection. That link above has questions related to that 3M strip.

For my glass jar stuff, it's all bulk coins so I don't put in a 3M/silica packet. It's only for bulk as I find it difficult with my older hands to deal with them for my better coins. The Tupperware type things are easy in-out containers. And after all, the glass jar's lid is metal and the seal is rubber/plastic (there are the older rubber seals and the newer flat lid seals, which seal when the contents cool and suck it down to create a seal, which isn't happening in the case of coins. Though the rest of it is glass. I don't even use the seal anymore and use it like a regular glass jar which most of my newer ones are just emptied jelly jars, such as this: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/19...ollection-and-why.317630/page-35#post-3248523

FYI on the ball glass jars I used the ones that taper up like a glass. They're easier stackable and easier to pour the contents out if you go that route.

3 - I'm not sure the specific one you are asking about but I use one for one of my silver instruments. They clean off tarnish and the newer ones also wipe on an antitarnish sealing agent or something like that. Nothing like the 3M strip does. They are for different purposes of cleaning up your silver teapots and stuff.

I don't live anywhere near the coasts so my opinion is fairly muted to your situation. I do live near Detroit which has a facility that spews out sulphur junk, and there's a small local asphalt production site which stinks sulphur as well. Though I've had no tarnishing problems.

 

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I am going to read through it a couple more times to make sure I have it all down pat.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your help and information.

Thank you again!!

 

I was in a store today in the home goods section and came across these cute little miniature glass jars with clamp lids. I'm going to try to post pictures here. I took a picture of them with a quarter coin (from my pocket) for size reference. It says on the box that the gasket is made of silicone. I wonder how good a seal that is compared to rubber and metal. The clamp is probably also important - how strong and tight it is. (Though anyone handy with pliers can tighten it.)

The store is close to where I live and I can pick up a few if anyone is interested. I think they were $0.99 each or in that range. They had a few different colors. I should have bought one just to test out how many (and what size) air-tight capsules can fit into one of them LOL!

(Note: The glass is clear, not blue or pink. It only looks blue or pink because the light is reflecting the gasket in some of the pictures.)

 

I would have guessed that silicone would produce a better gas seal than rubber, but apparently I would have been wrong.

But I think the most important part is the glass. The cross-section of the silicone gasket is very small compared to the overall volume and surface area; I think these might work fairly well.

 

So, I'm coming around to the idea of using Ball and Mason jars.

The only problem is, I've never used them before and wouldn't know if one is a better quality over another.

Also, is there any special technique to using them for coins? My understanding is that heat is somehow involved in the process when it involves food. But coins aren't food.

Also, the lids seem to be metal, not glass. Are certain lids and metals better to use than others for the coins?

Are there certain sizes or types of Ball and Mason Jars that are better suited for this purpose than others?

Again, I want to be able to seal these things up and let them sit for as long as possible without attending to them while they prevent the silver coins from tarnishing - for either months or years.

I want to do this the best way possible.

If you have any advice on using these Ball & Mason jars for preventing silver tarnish to coins I would very much appreciate if you could share it. Thank you.