I hope this is the right board to ask this on if not sorry. Does anyone know where I can get a good deal on Whitman 2X2 coin holders? I have all of my coins in cardboard 2x2 flips and I want to take them out because somehow dust is getting in & on the coins. Any help would be appreciated
Here is a place I use frequently. They are the same price as the previous place posted but are alot closer to you. Don't know if that will save on shipping but may reduce your shipping time. http://www.jpscorner.com/2x2_Coin_Holders.htm#Whitman
One word of note Dano, the cardboard 2x2's also produce dust. And it's cardboard dust which can scratch the surface of the coins.
O.K. I admit that I don't know much about this coin collecting, but are you serious about dust doing anything to coins? It's kind of hard to believe, if true.
It's absolutely true, especially for high grade examples or Proofs. Many a coin has been harmed by being improperly stored in inexpensive holders. Cardboard dust is extremely abrasive and is harmful in other ways as well such as causing unsightly toning and spots. The same can be said for coin albums - also made out of cardboard. It would take some reading to go through it all, but you might want to do a forum search on the word - storage - and read the various discussions. And you might find interesting reading here also - Beginning Coin Collecting
Do you mean the $3.99 coin folders, not the albums? I've heard that I should dump the folders because they will leave two sides of the coins in different conditions because one side is exposed.
I get them directly from my coin shop but unfortunately,some places around here have never heard of them. You can also buy them directly from the source...here (scroll to the bottom of the page): http://www.whitmanbooks.com/Default.aspx?Page=80&SubCatOID=17
As Roy said, yes I mean both. And that includes all albums of the type. It is physically impossible to place a high grade or Proof coin into a coin album without leaving the coin worse off afterwards. But if that's how people like to store their coins - more power to 'em.
ok. So, are the plastic airtight things the best way to go?? And if so, what is the best way for me to display my coins? For example, I found an old whitman Walking Lib half folder, which is what my WL's are currently in. I really like the way they look in it, all together, and with the dates below each coin. But I know this is a very non-protective way to keep my coins. So what would you guys suggest?
These are my thoughts on the subject: I use Dansco and Whitman albums for my sets. I use airtites for my silver rounds and silver dollars. I quit using 2x2's because of some damage from staples to a couple of items, luckily they were of not big value but still, it sucked. I switched to flips for those items, I know there is a chance of scratching but I don't mess with them much. I put them in the flip and then in a 2x2 box. If you do the 2x2's then you need the pages to put them in if you don't want to take a chance on staple damage. That gets expensive. I went to a website I use to buy supplies and went back and forth on the pricing by putting things in my shopping cart. I would see how much that was then clear the cart and then add the next type of storage item to see how much that would be. If I could afford it, everthing would be in an airtite but that would be pricey. I try to balance it out on cost and value of what I have. I don't necessarily want to put a .15¢ wheatie in a .42¢ airtite. Just isn't feasible. I would rather have that money to put into more coins. I think like some of the other members mentioned, if it is worth a certain value then airtite it ($10, but you have to set your own limit here), anything below that you can then go with flips perhaps (pvc free of course) for $3-$10 range and then maybe 2x2's for the remainder. This is only my thoughts and opinions on the subject. The reason I posted is I asked this same question a few weeks ago so all the research I did and the pricing is all still fresh in my memory.
I generally use airtites for all coins whose value or condition warrants the small extra cost of preservation, Dansco albums for coins I want to display where additional toning or microscopic damage won't be an issue for me, 2x2s for most other coins, and Whitman folders for collecting out of pocket change just for fun where condition and preservation aren't a factor. I don't think there is a single storage solution. What you use depends on what you have.
I use a Whitman albums for my BU Silver Eagles---a few of the coins are starting to tone in a bull-eye's. So far the toning is pretty and I'm leaveing them! Speedy
Thanks everyone for the links and very helpful information This is the best forum i've been to and I love it here. Dano
Try to remember there is a massive difference between the Whitman Coin Folders and the Albums and even the Classice Albums. For instance with the Whitman folders that show only one side of a coin the method of making them is to first layout a backing sheet, cover with glue, add the prepunched out hole peice of cardboard to that. Now if you look at the rear of that sheet in the folder you will note a slight shinny gloss. That is the glue. Some people like it because if you put a worn coin in that spot and if falls out you can wet the glue and it will hold the coin in that slot. HOWEVER, remember that this does not exactly make for a great coin. In fact if you leave such a collection in damp invironment, the glue will eventually leave a deposit on the coins. This is why you may find in change or even at dealers a coin with a streaked or discolored reverse from the glue. Now the Whitman Albums have slides of plastic that allow you to see both sides of the coins. The dissadvantage with these are the limitations to increase the quantity of pages and you must constantly buy a second or even third such album. The Whitman Classic Album is similar to Dansco or Littleton where the pages are constructed so that you can see both sides of the coins but you can add as many pages as the binder will handle. For instance I now have a Whitman Classic with 10 pages in it for all coins from 09 to present including proofs. The additional pages are basicallly blank but you can find gold letter/numbering rub offs at the Whitman web site or at most coin dealerships. Note that the constant slidding of the plastic covers over the coins in any of these type Albums will leave micro type scratches on the coins. Also, note none of these type albums, 2x2 cardboard with plasic flips and even the plastic flips are air tight. As long as some type of air gets to your coins they will eventually be noticed as either toning or discolorizing. All my albums are kept in plastic freezer type bags with as much air squeezed out as possible. I've had some like this for well over 50 years now. If this doesn't work for a few more hundred years, I'll let you know.
