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Preserving your coins for future generations is a priority for me. Simply because as a coin journeys thorough time, I am only but it’s keeper for a short while. If future generations are going to enjoy this same history that we enjoy now, we must protect the coins we have in our possession.

Coins have a gauntlet of issues to traverse. Lets look at a raw coin sitting on a table. The air is attacking it causing it to tone, the temperature and humidity will also affect how it will tone and may cause active corrosion if the humidity is high enough. When you pick it up you risk etching your finger prints on the coin. These are the main set of issues you have to contend with. 

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Your fingers have acids on them that will, over time, develop like a photograph on the coin. It will not be immediately apparent, but wait a few days and a fingerprint will emerge ready for CSI investigations.  I am not discouraging handling your coins, in fact that is one of the best parts of collecting. Being able to look at a coin raw in your hand is a wonderful experience. But you need to do it correctly. Place the raw coin on a soft nonabrasive cloth. When handling the coin, use either latex finger cots, or white inspection gloves (you can buy inspection gloves very cheep off the Internet by the dozen). Using white gloves allows you more freedom to handle the coin, although, be careful not to rub the coin. This can cause tiny scratches in the fields of the coin. You can ruin a coin’s value if it is a mint state or proof coin.  You should handle a coin by its edge. If you Don’t have gloves you still can handle your coins but only All the Invisible Children ipod by the edge. Proof coins should not be handled at all with out gloves.

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For most coins that you will obtain as a new collector, the cardboard staple down holders are a very good way to protect your coins from the effects of air and humidity. They will help slow down toning, and prevent finger print etching. Although the edge is not protected and  can tone to a dark black color. Be very careful with staple downs because the points of the staple can rip the cover of the coin next to it in your box and cause a horrible scratch. So when stapling down these holders, press the pointed ends of the staple back into the cardboard, rub your finger across the stable and make sure your finger does not catch on any sharp piece of metal. Plastic flips, made with pvc plastic was the bigist mistake coin collectors made for storage. After a while storing your coins in these flips, your coin will become damaged with a green slime coating that may or may not be removable. This can permanently damage your coin, seriously affecting it’s value. Also available for more collectable coins are air tight hard plastic cases of  various types. These offer better protection but toning over time can still occur. Even the sealed slabs from the grading companies are not immune to allowing air in to tarnish your coin. Some advanced collectors will even use desiccant, you know the little beads that say “Do not eat” on the package. This will help lower the humidity and preserve your coins. Although haven’t gone to this extreme.   I do use plastic holders for my more valuable and special coins.

It is not that difficult to take good care of your coins, just pay attention to what you are doing, and store your coins properly. And your grandchildren and their grandchildren will still be able to own and enjoy these coins from their past.