Coin Cases for the most discerning Numismatists...

Happy St Patrick's Day to all my Irish and non-Irish collectors!  When non-collectors think of a numismatist (coin and currency collector), they think about antique coins, old currency, and perhaps shiny gold coins they have seen on TV. However, there’s much more to the science of Coin Collecting than ever before. 

Now, companies like SAFE, market more than just coins to numismatists—we offer a wide variety of technology and coin cases, as well as many preservation solutions for collections of all values and sizes.

Let’s focus on specialty storage—these days, numismatists have more choices than ever when it comes to protecting, presenting and organizing their collections.

Why Use Specialty Storage?

There are many reasons for using specialized coin storage. The first is organization – it’s much easier to quantify and determine the value of a collection that’s been well organized.  We have the right coin cases at SAFE Collecting Supplies to correctly and attractively divide and label an entire collection.

Gold and Silver are not as durable as the metals used to make modern-day coinage. For this reason, it’s important to protect your coins. Even improperly cleaning a gold coin will significantly reduce the value of the item.  Tarnishing or metallic oxidization occurs in coins as well, especially older silver ones.  Using air-tight storage will greatly reduce tarnishing.

That being said let me review some of the storage solutions we have for numismatists visiting SAFE Collecting Supplies.

Glass / Acrylic Display Cases

These display cases are great for those who want to put their coins on display and wow their friends, family, neighbors and visitors. However, they may not be for everyone, as they make your collection quite visible. If you’re afraid of thievery or are extremely concerned about protecting your investment, you may want to invest in a coin case that is more inconspicuous.

These cases do make great solutions for people who regularly show their collections off. Numismatists that love to show off their collection, but don’t want to lose organization, labeling or efficiency will greatly benefit from investing in a glass or acrylic-topped display case. They organize the collection, protect it, and make it easy for others to observe and enjoy.

Coin “Flips”

Coin “Flips” from SAFE are flat containers for coins that are bound together by a non-corrosive adhesive, In the past these types of 2x2 Flips have used staples that over time will deteriorate and leach towards the coin.  Flips from SAFE Collecting Supplies are guaranteed to be safe for your coins, and easy to use, requiring no staples or anything else that will put your coin at risk.

These cases are light and foldable. They are perfect for people who want to be able to effectively remove a coin from their album or coin case, without risk of exposing the collectible. Coin “Flip”
Albums & Cases are easy to use, effectively protect coins and also leave the coin open for observation.

Stackable Drawers

Stackable Drawers are just what they sound like – a stand-alone storage case that resembles a drawer, but is designed with a closed top so it can be stacked with other drawers of the same kind. These products are extremely durable and inconspicuous—a perfect choice for numismatists looking to efficiently protect their collection while avoiding putting their coins on display regularly.

3-D Floating Frames

The idea behind 3-D floating frames is that they safely display the coin, removing it from the danger of the oils that exist naturally on human hands, while still making the coin viewable from all angles. Once a collectible has been inserted into one of our Floating Flexi 3-D Frames, it will look as if it is suspended in mid-air. We sell these frames in many different sizes, sure to accommodate not only numismatists but also many other types of collectors.  

Custom Chests of Drawers & Wooden Cabinets

At SAFE Collecting Supplies, we proudly offer customizable cases for coins, medals and other collectibles. These custom cases come in both hardwood and leatherette varieties, with many options to choose from.

Our wooden display cases and cabinets are all high-quality with durable and gorgeous veneers. The cabinets are lockable and solid wood. If that wasn’t enough, they also come with 16 different sizes of drawers to choose from.

Our customizable chests of drawers also come with personalized drawers as well as velvet and wood colors of your choice. This elegant storage option includes silver fittings and hinges, and the top level is fitted with velvet and a larger compartment for any tools and coin supplies you may want to include. This top drawer could also be used for larger collectibles – the choice is yours as a collector at SAFE Collecting Supplies!

The SAFE Collecting Supplies Guarantee – At SAFE Collecting Supplies, we guarantee that you will get exactly what you need for all of your numismatic needs. We offer complimentary shipping on any order exceeding $99.  We also pledge an exceptional customer service experience and hassle-free returns in the unfortunate event that you are unsatisfied.

Fellow Numismatists-US Mint has Announced the Release Schedule of 2015 Silver & Gold Coins!

Attention Fellow Numismatists – U.S. Mints Are Releasing 2015 Silver and Gold Coins!

It’s a New Year, and the U.S. Mint has announced a breadth of new gold coins for collectors to invest in this year.   These new gold coins can serve as a healthy investment for any collector in 2015.  Here are some of the details.

For January 2015, the United States Marshals are celebrating their 225^th anniversary, and they will be featuring a wide variety of special coin releases including uncirculated $5 Gold Coins and Silver Dollars. 

Later this year in March, the U.S. Mint will be releasing the American Eagle Gold Coin in their usual one ounce, one-half ounce, one-quarter ounce and one-tenth ounce versions.  These coins will serve as great investments for those looking for a return on investment later in their collection’s life.  In April 2015, they will release the uncirculated versions of these coins.

There are also a few coins in the making that have not had release dates announced yet.  The first mention should go to the 2015 “First Spouse Series” being released -- half ounce coins featuring famous first ladies including Elizabeth Truman, Mamie Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy and Claudia Taylor Johnson.  These have proved to be very popular due to their low mintages.  Another coin worthy of mention is the 24K High Relief Gold Coin.

To see the full production schedule for the U.S. Mint, please visit this link.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Gold Currency  Once You Buy It

Gold coins are judged by many to be the pinnacle of the numismatic (coin collecting) experience.  And, for what it’s worth, this can be true—gold is a valuable material in and of itself, and adding the artistry and history that goes into a coin, it should go without saying that gold coins can be quite valuable.

So, if you’re a beginner numismatist, or if you’ve been collecting for years and you just started to get into gold coins, there are some things to keep in mind so that you can get the most out of your collection.  Here are some tips.

  1      Handle Your Coins Properly – The less you handle your gold coins, the better.  Try to avoid examining your gold coins by hand—get a either a set of Coin Tongs or pH-neutral Coin Gloves.  Then you can place the coin in a coin capsule, a coin slab or a 2x2 coin flip so you can observe and enjoy your collection safely. SAFE® Collecting Supplies has all that and more.

2      Do Not Clean Your Coins – This is a very important tip; remember that your gold coin’s grade is not solely based on its shine—grading also refers to the amount of wear and tear a coin has seen.  Scrubbing and chemicals can damage a coins faces and fine details, harshly reducing its value.

3      Store Your Coins Safely – Check out SAFE® Collecting Supplies to figure out how we can help you safely store coins in special coin cases, whether you want heavy duty aluminum, finished wood cases or air-tight coin capsules, we can help you out.

4       Insure Your Coins – This can be important for numismatists investing serious amounts of capital into their collection – insuring your coins can save you one day.  But let’s hope you don’t need it.

5       Learn as Much as you Can – Being a numismatist should be enjoyable.  Find whatever books you can, and even learn to grade coins yourself.

All of these tips will help you get the most out of your coin collection, especially if you plan on buying these special 2015 Gold coins.  I hope this post was helpful! Check out SAFE® Collecting Supplies to see how we can help numismatists around the United States!

Assess Your Coin’s Value, Then Protect and Display Them Accordingly

Coins and currency are huge investments, and coins are valued and judged based on a wide variety of criterion.  Assessing a coin collection and determining coin value is important towards being a great coin collector with a stunning collection.

Everybody starts somewhere, and even the most grizzled, veteran coin collector can use some advice now and then. That being said, here are some ways to determine coin value and boost the organization and presentation of your collection.

Know Your Materials
The market prices of precious metals like silver and gold are volatile, dynamic numbers that can literally change every minute.  That being said, it’s important to know the materials that your coin is comprised of.  This can have a huge bearing on the value.  Silver and gold coins are becoming scarce in America, and even small antique three-cent coins can be worth more than 2000% of their original value.  It should go without saying that a silver nickel will be worth more than zinc or nickel one based on the intrinsic value of the metals alone.

Understand Mintage and Numismatic Value
“Mintage” simply refers to the insignia that refers to the mint that a coin was stamped in.  Often, mintage is confirmed by small markings on the backside of a coin.  These markings can be subtle and hard to find, often requiring magnification and visual aids that can be purchased on our website.  But having the right mintage credentials will increase a coin’s value by multiples.  And once you know which mintage you have, you will need to evaluate the grade of the coin, determining what kind of shape the coin is in.  Unfortunately this can be very subjective, but many dealers can help you with that.  And you can learn more about how to determine a coin’s grade by educating yourself.  The mintage and the grade will determine the coin’s numismatic value, rather than simply its bullion value.

Know the Value of Gold
There’s more to collecting gold coins than their uncirculated shiny luster, though that is a plus.  Buying gold has become a great way to invest your money and receive a great return on investment.  The price tends to fluctuate, but it will always retain a high value; much higher than silver or copper, and much more plentiful than platinum.
That being said, collectors holding onto gold coins should preserve the value of their coins.  This can be done with a wide variety of methods, including specialty coin holders and hard plastic coin capsules.  Protecting gold coins from wear and tear greatly enhances their value and ensures that the money you invest in them will grow, or at least not deteriorate to the point of worthlessness.

Also, beware that there are a lot of places out there that will try and “buy” your gold for much less than it’s worth.  Figure out the value of your coins by checking several sites and sources, instead of simply trusting the first one, especially if that first one is someone trying to purchase your collection. 

If you check a website such as goldprice.org, you may notice that some of the highest rated gold products on that site are coins.  One good example of a coin with rich, high-quality gold content would be the Liberty Twenty Dollar Gold Coins, which can be worth over $1,000 even in poor condition.

Now that it’s understood that gold coins are not only beautiful, but a great way to invest your money and create a great asset, it’s important to…
Guard Your Assets
Museums love to put their gold and valuables on display, but most collectors are not running museums.
It’s important to have good surveillance, even if it’s just one camera, it can make the difference between losing a collection and catching a thief.  Sometimes it’s best to ensure that your cases are non-discriminant and maybe even without display windows.  It’s much harder to steal when someone has to guess, pick and choose between where they want to look for valuables.
Protecting your assets is an integral part of respecting and honoring your collection. A poorly protected collection is a dangerous investment; don’t let your money go down the tubes.  Be careful who you show your collection to, and try not to brag online about your awesome Gold Eagles, Morgan Dollars or your American Buffalo Gold Coins. 
We at SAFE® Collecting Supplies don’t blame you for wanting to, but discretion is the better part of valor and exceptional collections should be limited to trusted friends, enthusiasts and family.
Enjoy your coin collection!
These few measures and tests only scratch the surface of coin value and grading.  Buying gold coins is a serious investment and we at SAFE® Collecting Supplies advise you to use great caution while investing any large amount of money.
For more information, you can check out coinweek.com, a site that contains many coin prices, guidelines and a lot of information on coin buying trends and the coin grading process.  Coinweek also offers daily news on coins, including price changes and discoveries.  Likewise, on the website, users can view a regularly published newsletter.  Part of being a collector is being sure to stay educated!
With these factors in mind, be sure to enjoy your coin collection and make it beautiful.  Check out SAFE® Coin Collecting Supplies for a wide selection of products to protect your coins as well as organize them in a way that either you or spectators will appreciate and learn from.

Why Coin and Stamp Collecting Books are Assets to All Collectors

Adequate preparation is needed when beginning the exciting hobby of collecting stamps and coins. If you are new to the world of stamp or coin collecting, you will find that the best way to benefit from collecting is to always be prepared!  What is the best way to prepare for a rewarding hobby in collecting? By reading and using stamp and coin collecting books! 

By using coin and stamp collecting books, you will present yourself as a well-informed and experienced collector. Having that special aura surrounding yourself can be the difference between convincing another collector to buy from you, or sell to you. As a collector or dealer, you will find yourself learning more each day by reading stamp and coin collecting books and using that information to your advantage to teach others about the rare coins you have collected throughout the years. 

Anyone interested in learning about coins will often turn to the internet to find the information they need. Why keep turning to the internet, if you have the books right at your fingertips! You can purchase stamp and coin collecting books and pull them out whenever you need them! Owning the actual books has many advantages because the books you buy have all the resources you need. This helps you avid the headache of figuring out what exactly to search for on the internet, which could take hours! 

Benefits of Coin and Stamp Collecting Books:

•  Find information on coins or stamps made in a particular year
•  Find information on coins stamps made in a specific part of the world
•  Buy pocket-sized books to carry with you and use at exhibits
•  Buy books with sleeves built in, so you can store your coins or stamps

If you are willing to invest in coin or stamp collecting books, contact us at SAFE Collecting Supplies today. Our website has much more information on all coin and stamp collecting supplies needed for success!

Coin Toning - why does it happen?

Recently I got into a discussion with a long time stamp collecting customer of our's who recently got started into coin collecting.  He asked me about coin toning, its causes and what can be done about it.  So thought it would be nice to share with everyone who doesn't understand why this occurs.

Toning is a natural process that coin collectors frequently encounter.  After all, coins are made of metal, and virtually all metals will corrode under the right environmental conditions.  As the chemistry of the surface metal changes, so does the coin's color.  With some metals it happens faster than others.  The key to keeping your coins as beautiful as the day you acquired them lies in your coin storage and how you store them.

The first line of defense is the coin holder itself which helps prevent the metal from interacting with the environment.  Plastic coin capsules that are virtually airtight offer the greatest protection against the environment and oxidizing agents.  Self sealing plastic flips offer the next level of protection that seals out much of the local environment.  Clear plastic flips with open pockets still offer good protection for the coin, but still leave the coin more susceptible to the environment around them. 

It is the surrounding environment that you store these coins, no matter what they are in, that will determine the accelerated oxidation.  The sulfur and organic compounds in cardboard can tone metals quickly.  If you leave a silver or copper coin sitting in a cardboard box, you are likely to see color changes.  When not protected from the natural surroundings, a coin can begin to oxidize immediately when stored within cardboard.  High humidity and temperature also will hasten the toning process.  Basements, attics and garages, with their extreme temperatures, are not good places for your coins.   Adding silica desiccant gels to your storage container, and changing them out every year is also a way to help your coins avoid susceptibility to the humidity.

Using common sense and high quality coin holders from SAFE, can keep your coins as fresh and beautiful as they are today.  Be confident that SAFE coin holders and coin capsules offer optimum protection from the environment.  And remember to avoid keeping your coins near materials containing volatile oxidizing compounds and store your collection in a stable environment.

Why does the plastic seem to get more brittle over time?

I had a question at the Baltimore coin show this weekend that we encounter from time to time from long time collectors.  Over the years, the plastic coin flips and coin pages that I keep my coins in seems to get more brittle over time.  With coin flips, they actually seem to crack.  Why does this happen?

I know what you mean about the brittle nature of the plastic.  This is the inherent problem with plasticizer and softener-free polyester.  Over time, they get even harder.  Without the softeners in the plastic, they are absolutely getting more brittle.  But believe it or not, its a good sign for your coins.

The alternative is putting softeners in the plastic which would harm the coins.  Cheaper coin album pages and coin holders/flips are available from other manufacturers that do this, because it may "seem nicer" to non-professional collector.  Not realizing that those softening agents cause problems over time to their collection.  So if your pages or flips are cracking, rest assured that your coins are safe.  If the look is bothering you, perhaps you should switch to a nice coin case with archival materials?

Counterfeit Coins - how can I protect myself?

Every coin show I go to I get into a discussion about counterfeit coins.  Collectors are always concerned about spending their hard money on a coin that later turns out to be a counterfeit.  So they ask how can they defend against this? A Coin Scale is the first line of defense!
There are a number of scientific measurements that can be used by the average collector to protect themselves against acquiring a counterfeit coin.  First and foremost, the weight of a coin is one of the determining factors in determining if a coin is authentic or counterfeit.  A precision digital coin scale is a must for any intermediate or advanced coin collector. The coin scale is used to determine the exact weight of a coin.  Additionally, a precision digital coin scale can be used to determine if the coin is an error coin.   For example, if a modern U.S. clad coin is struck on a silver blank or it is struck on a planchet from another denomination.

Most digital coin scales allow you to select the unit of measure (grams, ounces, etc.). It is most important that the scale measures in grams and has accuracy to 0.01 (1/100) grams.  But it also helpful to have it in troy ounces for gold, as well as pennyweight.  These measurement standards are often referenced in coin books which is where you will need to go to validate the weight of the coin.

Additionally it is ideal for you to check the specific gravity and density of the coin to verify that it is the proper metal used as originally designed.  This is done typically by simply using your digital coin scale as well as some other tools as shown in this picture at right.

Next time, we will talk about using a coin caliper for further validation of the coin.