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newheart

Album for coin storage

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Hi, I am new to coin collecting and wanted to ask if there is any reason not to use a cheap album such as those on Amazon and eBay for a beginners coin collection? I believe the pockets are not PVC. One such as this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collectors-Collecting-Album-Holders-Royalblue/dp/B013DNMN6E/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1505750662&sr=8-8&keywords=coin+holder

Another newbie question - I keep seeing the word "slabbed" in this forum. What is slabbed?
Thanks in advance,

Pete

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hi newheart,        

 

storage, thats a big discussion, depends what you're collecting, but what you linked is ok for circulating coins, you might be better using a company like http://www.duncannon.co.uk/ for lighthouse stuff, but people will be able to point you the right way, proof coins would be better kept in coin capsules, 

 

a slabbed coin has been graded by a 3rd party company and them sonically sealed into a tamper proof coin capsule, or whats called a slab, https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/2000s/141155/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=ngc+coin 

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Hi Craigy, thanks for the reply! But I have to ask now what is meant by "circulating coins" and "lighthouse"? I think I can guess but just to be sure...

So that is what slabbed means! 

I am just beginning my collection and am buying a few affordable British coins (pre 1900) just to get to know what they look like and to see how the quality varies. And I guess to see which period/coin I like most. It will be a long time until I buy uncirculated/high quality coins I think. 


Many thanks,

Pete
 

Edited by newheart

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Welcome to the forum Pete !

If you type "storage" in the search bar in the top right you will find a lot of past discussion on coin storage.

cheers - Garrett

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Hi Garrett, thanks for your reply. I did search on this forum but the posts seemed to focus on capsules, Lighthouse trays and separate stamp holders. I would really like to be able to store my coins in a book type format, and keep start-up costs low in case this is not a hobby that grabs me in the long term. No-one mentioned the cheap amazon and ebay coin booklets that are so common and I wondered why. 

Cheers,

Pete

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In terms of storage, a mahogany cabinet might seem expensive to start with, but they are always desirable and as such an asset that you will have little difficulty in recouping your cost. It's worth thinking about.

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Hi Pete welcome to the forum.

I use these albums 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Numis-coin-album-for-large-coins-and-coin-holders-2x2-/401002408685?hash=item5d5d9b2aed:g:TTkAAOSwMNxXTtbV

they are small enough to store away and take these coin holders

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lighthouse-Self-Adhesive-Coin-Holders-2X2-Flips-Quantity-10-25-50-100-All-Sizes/140968489413?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=440119893474&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

which are self seal and you can record the details of the coin enclosed you can buy these in different sizes for the the different denominations of coins.

Hope this is of some help. Good luck with you collecting.

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23 minutes ago, Rob said:

In terms of storage, a mahogany cabinet might seem expensive to start with, but they are always desirable and as such an asset that you will have little difficulty in recouping your cost. It's worth thinking about.

Hi Rob, Thanks for the reply! I'd love to be able to afford something like that, but until I have at least some coins worthy of such accommodation I think I will have to pass :-). 

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Hi Mick, Many thanks, they look pretty good, and are certainly an option for me.  
BTW we share similar tastes in music - been a Led Zep fan since oh so long ago! 

Cheers,

Pete

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Thanks for all the replies everyone. No-one has answered my original question, "is any reason not to use a cheap album such as those on Amazon and eBay ". Could they damage coins? These would be circulated coins of relatively low value. 

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Stay away from them. You have answered your own question, they are cheap and you have no way of being certain what they are made of and they could potentially damage your coins. 

If you want to put them in an album then I would go with a quality make such as those recommended by Upinsmoke. The 2" x 2" holders that fit the album are cheap and if you buy the non sticky ones are reusable. 

You say your collection is of relatively low value but it will not be long before you start to buy coins that are a little bit more valuable.

I think it's best to start as you mean to go on and start housing your collection in a proper album.

welcome to the forum and carry on collecting.

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I agree with Ian. What sort of quality do you expect for £1.66 and free delivery? No doubt the plastic will split soon. The plastic might react with your coins too. The pockets are also so small and a coin bigger than a £2 won't fit.

Would suggest buying a proper album of the trusted brand Lighthouse. It is worth spending a bit more than a tenner.

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Thanks Ian and Sword. I will be taking your advice ordering some of the albums and inserts recommended by Upinsmoke

Ian, to be fair to the makers of the 'cheap' albums, the plastic is OPP, not PVC. I think (though I may be wrong) that this is safe for coins. 

Thanks for all the replies everyone :-)

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Like any hobby, coin collecting requires a small expense to start with. You can get a good, solid, made in Germany lighthouse album and an assortment of pages for £40. And it will last many years. If you are starting with the hobby you will want to show your collection to friends and family; do it in a proper good album that won't break apart the second day.

I know the price of that album you have found may be tempting, but I can see straight away it's not fit for purpose. It's very thin to hold more than 3 or 4 full pages of coins - it claims 120 coins but I doubt you will fit more than 50, bulging open - and also it has no separators so whenever you flip a page the coins will hit each other and get damaged. The size of the pockets is probably a problem as many pre-1900 coins are quite large so you won't fit anything bigger than a penny.

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Thanks for the advice Leo. btw are Lighthouse aka Numis? I saw on another forum some doubt about the plastics used in the sleeves. Though I am not sure if the plastic has to come into contact with the coin, or if it is just from the softners given off by the plastics. Probably getting ahead of myself here given the low value of my present collection!

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Quick question for Leo - when you use the lighthouse albums, do you put the coins directly in the sleeves? Or put them in hard coin holders or the card coin holders first? TIA, Pete

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I suggest you look at the Lighthouse catalogue. Whether you go for this brand or a cheaper one, they all follow the same principles.

Numis and Optima are pretty much the same thing, I think the Optima is a bit bigger so it's capable of taking slightly bigger sheets. You buy the sheets separately so you can choose which pages suit you better.

In the 'classic' type of sheet, the coins go into strips of pockets that slide in the pages' bays. it's great because you can always get the coins out and re-arrange them again and again. The bad thing is that the level of protection is not great, and the pages have quite set sizes so you can't mix big and small coins in the same page.

The other system is put the coins in 2x2 carboard flips and then place these in special pages K50. The advantage of this is that the coins are permanently protected from the atmosphere and fingerprints, You can also arrange coins of different sizes in the same page. The bad thing is that once you put a coin in a carboard flip, you can't take it out unless you break it.

All my low value collection is in Numis albums with K50 pages, therefore in 2x2 flips. Better coins demand fancier solutions - Quadrum capsules in Volterra box for instance.

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Hi Leo, many thanks for the very helpful reply. I had tried to find out online how these things all worked and their differences but it didn't make much sense until now, thanks. The reason I asked about the use of flips is that I was not sure if it was safe to put coins directly in the Numis album pages. I have now placed an order for my first Numis album and lots of sleeves (thanks for the links Upinsmoke). 

For the benefit of any other newbie reading this, Numis is the name given to a particular Lighthouse album size, and comes in different flavours such as the classic and the Deluxe, and it is presently the smallest of the Lighthouse albums. 

Thanks for everyone's help.

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Indeed, Numis relates more to the specific dimensions of the album being a bit more snug than the optima. There may also be a difference in materials but I'm not very sure of that.

I suppose you have purchased a set of classic-style sheets, where you insert the coins in the slider? I think it's the best option for the beginner as it gives you great flexibility. Make sure to place cardboard separators between the pages so the coins don't hit each other when you flip the pages.

You won't regret havind spent a bit more than what you initially expected; coins are heavy and albums and plastic sheets take a fair amount of stress when being manipulated.

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Thanks Leo. I am looking forward to starting the collection in the new album! Yes it was the classic album plus 4 sets of different sized sheets. I have not bought any cardboard separators - do they come with the album? Guess I will find out soon enough :-)

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Yes, the lighhouse sheets come with one for each which is very handy. Otherwise you can always make them yourself.

So what do you collect? :rolleyes:

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What do I collect? I am going to give a typical newbie answer of everything and anything at present, as long as it is British and Pre decimal. I have yet to see an example of each coin, but expect I will select one coin or period when I get to know whats out there and what I can afford.

Edited by newheart

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Not only newbies! I have an incomplete peseta collection, a sort-of-comprehensive British 20th century type collection, a couple of albums of international coins of all sorts, a concoction of horrendous silver bullion pieces, and for the last couple of years I've put together a succint Victorian type collection that I'm very proud of. And now I'm veering towards Spanish colonial... who knows what I'll be hoarding in 5 years' time!

It's just really good fun, and reading about coins and their history is fascinating. And it may even be a good investment!

Incidentally, to complete your starter kit of predecimal British coins you may want this and this and also a loupe.

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LOL, I know the feeling Leo - I couldn't resist buying some really cheap Anna Indian coins from the late 18th, just out of curiosity. I justified it on the basis they had a kings head on them. 

Thanks for the links - I just ordered that "Collectors' Coins" book, I was going to ask for a recommendation. I ordered a loupe earlier. Not sure about the grading one yet, seems a bit dry and perhaps a bit premature (and isn't it aimed at those trying to grade and resell old coins?).

Edited by newheart

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I recognise your Avatar newheart, it's King Arthur's Round Table inside the Great Hall in Winchester. I visited the town 6 years ago and took a photo of it.

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