Numismatics - How to save old coins

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Careful storage is essential to ensure that your coins are in good condition. There are several articles available on the market from albums to cabinets. All of them are suitable, although some allow a better display of your collection than others. The choice depends only on the amount you are willing to invest. Environmental conditions are also an important factor and must be taken into account. Try to store your coins in a place with an adequate temperature and humidity.

Albums, cabinets and trays

Among the items indicated for storing your coins are albums and lockers. Albums are the cheapest and take up little space. Sheets can be purchased with bags of different sizes, depending on the size of the coins. However, it is necessary to be very careful not to buy sheets that contain PVC because this material reacts chemically with the coins and causes the formation of a greenish sticky layer on the coin's surface.

I advise you never to put the coins in direct contact with the plastic, whatever its chemical composition. Always store coins in alveoli and these in sheets with the appropriate measures for them. Depending on the size of the albums, you can find 3x4 sheets, with capacity for 12 wells and 4x5, with capacity for 20 wells.

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The albums, when arranged at the top, have the drawback that the leaves bend under the weight of the coins. Therefore, you should arrange them lying down and if you have several, you can stack them on top of each other.

On the other hand we have the cabinets, which can be made of wood or acrylic and are more expensive than the albums. If you choose wooden ones, choose the ones that use chestnut or mahogany dry outdoors. Other woods that are resinous can react chemically with the coins and cause them to darken.

The cabinets consist of several drawers lined with velvet, which have cavities of different sizes and shapes allowing to store coins in alveoli, capsules or just the coin.

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I personally think that the best solution for storing your commemorative coins is acrylic trays. Like the drawers of wooden furniture, its cavities also have a multiplicity of sizes and shapes. They also have the advantage that they can be purchased individually, according to our needs, and have a locking system that allows them to be stacked and form a cabinet of the desired size. They are very practical and do not take up too much space. Being of transparent acrylic they can be easily used in exhibitions and showcases. Now that we have our collection properly arranged, let's see what are the most appropriate environmental conditions.

Temperature and humidity

The place where you store your coins should have, as much as possible, an average temperature and humidity. Avoid placing them in excessively humid spaces.

To combat atmospheric humidity, it is advisable to place sachets of silica crystals next to the albums or cabinets where you keep your coins. The silica crystals absorb moisture and change color from blue to pink and can be recycled by drying them in


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