Storing coins in baggies

I've been storing my coins in small ziplock bags from the company Apple. Please tell me they are not made of pvc. If they are, how long do I have to remove them before they start damaging the coins? PLEASE RESPOND IF YOU ARE 13 YEARS OR OLDER. Thank you.

 

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If they are take them out immediately. If they're genuinely food storage bags (Ziploc is an actual trademarked brand name, not the generic name for self-sealing bags) I can pretty much guarantee there's no PVC in them, but if they're bags you got from Apple who knows. At any rate I don't recommend storing coins this way.

 

Yes. Those are the bags. From sheer terror, I pulled all the coins out of the bags. I dont see any damage to the pennies. The only proofs that are not in the original packaging are 3 franklin proofs that were in a album, so they were handled before I received them, and since I paid spot for them, I really didnt look at them to closely. I just popped them out of the album as safely as possible and put them into the bags. Since I didnt take a close look at purchase, I cant say what shape they were in. When I pulled them out of the bags, the high points have a "film" on them.The reason behind the bags was I purchased these metal organizing bin rack with plastic bins. I also scratch build and drag race electric and nitro powered remote control cars and wanted a nice set of racks for holding all the tiny screws and parts. I used the bags for storing this items and the bags fit in the bins perfectly. So it was a instant on-hand approach for storing the coins.

I beleive pvc damage would be a yellow/green dull tone on the coins, no ?

 

Few coins that I have I consider to be very, very nice. None are rare with the nicest one, in my opinion, is my 39d wheat the members here feel its in the AU55/58 range. I like the bags because at this moment in time, I dont like hard cases or slabs. It makes the coin "feel cold" to me, if that makes sense. I like to touch my toned coins, and when I want to store it, I put it back in the bag. As Im typing this I'm realizing that I should buy flips.

 

going up in gas gd tell me are the ols us mint sets in red and blue plastric strips archival proof?

 

Thank you for sharing that information, GDJMSP.

 

I beleive they are. My 57 and 64 proofs are gorgeous.

 

Yup, buy PVC free flips. I am just like you, I like to handle my coins anytime I feel like it. So, flips are my choice for coin storage.

You know, I just came up with a coin storage idea I wish they had. The downfall to flips is you have to open up the flip to see the reverse. You can cut it in half, but then have no place to write down information about the coin. I wonder if they could make a one sided flip, with a ziploc to hold the coin in but can be opened, with a paper tab on top?

 

I would be in heaven with a ziplock flip !

 

The mint packaging on the sets is not archival in nature. The material itself is non-reactive, but it does have a higher porosity than mylar or other PE,PP plastics, and also is more prone for small cracks from handling or aging. Some will have wonderful results, others not. If you intent to sell them , keep them in such packaging, but if you are only interested in keeping the coins, put them into better..

 

I have bought coins sent to me in small ziplocks about 2 x 2. Are these what you all are saying ruin the coins?

 

No, we are not. We are saying though that you should move them to better storage devices when you have a chance. Baggies are conventient for dealers, but are not a great way to store coins for collectors long term.

 

Why not use something like this with a stick on label near the zipper. Plenty of room with the 2x3, although they come in many sizes. PE, safe.
http://www.amazon.com/Ziplock-Type-Clear-Reclosable-Thick/dp/B0002ZOY5A/ref=pd_sbs_ac_3

also with a hanging hole http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/packaging/bags/reclosable/reclosable-clear-poly-bags-hang-hole and less expensive by the 1000.

Walmart has these in 100 unit packages in the hobby ~ Beading area. I use them for club auctions, stapled to a n info
card.

Jim

 

I understand. I have done this with all my unslabbed Morgans. These now reside in the two piece snap together plastic holders that fit conveniently in a sleeve type covered box. Thanks for your input here.

 

Nice idea, but those are "flappy". I was thinking a stiff holder like a flip cut in half, but with a zipclose at the top. Above that, paper on similar hard plastic. Get those, along with matching sized boxes and pages, and I would be loving it.

I should write up a patent........

 

No. I just found out that pvc is not good on coins. I couldnt find the info on the bags I use (Apple) so to be safe, I pulled all my coins until I have some sort of proof that they are safe.

 

PVC is PolyVinylChloride and is one of the most used plastics in the world. There are two problems with PVC. Pure PVC is a hard and brittle material (water pipes type stuff) but if a lot of a very high boiling material is infused into it (plasticized) it can become soft and pliable for use in lawn chair webbing and cheap plastic film. The problems with PVC are that the plasticizer chemical can exude out and do bad stuff or that the PVC itself can degrade and give off hydrogen chloride gas. When hydrogen chloride gas mixes with water, we call it hydrochloric acid, not too good for most coins.

To check plastic materials to see if they contain PVC, heat up a copper wire as hot as you can get it (butane lighter flame would probably work) and touch the plastic to be tested so that some of it melts and sticks to the copper. Now heat the wire again and watch for a green coloration to the flame that comes from copper chloride that should be formed from the interaction of copper and PVC.