Professional ways to store collections.

[Coins Of the UK and US]

Hi everyone.

I am currently on the lookout for a professional way to keep my coin collection.

My intention is to do date runs of UK coins from the quarter farthing to the crowns. 

If anyone could please help my by providing me with some professional and effective ways to store this type of collection, that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance, all the best, F Drummond.

[Paddy]

Welcome to the forum!

Storing a growing collection is always a headache and largely done to personal preference. I have a very similar target collection to yours and have kept mine in a growing number of the WH Smith's "Magpie" albums, which are reasonably cheap and secure. The double action ensures coins do not slip out, and the plastic is coin safe. They are not good for display and the folders gradually fail under the weight of coins.

The range of Lindner coin trays are another alternative. They are good for display and very adaptable, but each tray is expensive.

Many new collectors start with coin flips and long boxes, which is simple and practical, but viewing your coins becomes tedious.

Traditionally the serious collector would use the custom made coin cabinets. Others may be able to point you to current suppliers, or you can keep an eye on the auctions. These are much better for display and the cabinets look appealing, but the coins are more open to the environment, and they can become inflexible as your collection expands.

Of course if you are following the American trend towards graded and encapsulated coins, you need an entirely different approach and I have no idea how they tackle that.

P

[wlewisiii]

I'd not call it professional but for my three main obsessions, er, collections (shilling date run 1663-1970, Irish coins 1928-2000 & French 3rd through 5th Republics) I have a four ring binder and bunches of coin safe plastic sheets that hold anywhere from 42 (shilling sized) to 30 (half crown sized) or 12 (1870's 5 franc sized) and that suits me nicely. It's easy to show them to friends and easy to take it along when I go to coin shops or shows. 

 

 

Easy to find on Amazon, couldn't tell you elsewhere. Hope this is of some use. 

[Coins Of the UK and US]

Thanks everyone for the help. This is great.

[Rob]

If you are willing to spend the money, this guy makes the best cabinets around for new ones. https://robdaviscabinets.co.uk/ 

It is fair to say he is a master craftsman. Will make whatever you want and does it for a living. He won't disappoint. 

Assuming you don't intend collecting by die variety, you already know the hole sizes required, so work out what you have in the collection, what you need and buy cabinets on a regular basis as the collection expands. That reduces the up front cost and you already will know what trays you need in the next order. You can even get a cabinet based on the reign involved, though the Victorian one is likely to be served by a few cabinets. 

Your choice, and welcome to the mad house.

[Coins Of the UK and US]

Thanks Rob. I will definitely take a look.

[wlewisiii]

Holy Catfish Batman, er, Rob. Those are gorgeous. If I had a spare grand laying around I'd get a single door in a heartbeat! 

[Sword]

33 minutes ago, wlewisiii said:

If I had a spare grand laying around I'd get a single door in a heartbeat! 

Saving for a new front door is indeed practical 😀

Seriously, I think it depends very much on the number, grade and value of the coins you intend to collect. If it is say a date run collection of UNC-EF 18 /19 century halfcrowns, then they would look fantastic in a quality cabinet. But if the priority is to make date runs of lower grade or common coins, then an album / flips/ 2x2 coin holders /quadrums would be much more practical. 

[wlewisiii]

4 minutes ago, Sword said:

Saving for a new front door is indeed practical 😀

Seriously, I think it depends very much on the number, grade and value of the coins you intend to collect. If it is say a date run collection of UNC-EF 18 /19 century halfcrowns, then they would look fantastic in a quality cabinet. But if the priority is to make date runs of lower grade or common coins, then an album / flips/ 2x2 coin holders /quadrums would be much more practical. 

Oh I know that and I won't be changing what I have. If I could afford that, I'd be a very different kind of collector than I am. I enjoy what I am doing though that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the aesthetic joy of that design. 

[Sword]

I don't have a cabinet myself for several reasons. One being that I haven't collected in a systematic way, and don't have enough good pieces to justify having a cabinet. Another is that I like to look at both sides of my coins easily. Quandrum works well for the number of pieces I have and make handling easy.

Like you, I do appreciate the craftsmanship of a good cabinet. 

BTW, I like your shilling album pages. The pockets are just the right size to reduce the amount of rotation. When I first started "collecting" as a teenager, I also focused on shillings.

[wlewisiii]

1 hour ago, Sword said:

BTW, I like your shilling album pages. The pockets are just the right size to reduce the amount of rotation. When I first started "collecting" as a teenager, I also focused on shillings.

I find them beautiful. Big enough to see all the detail yet small enough to get lots in a small space.  The art of them is also a really huge plus for me. It's like the best of all worlds when it comes to English Silver Coinage 😇

Edited 4 hours ago by wlewisiii

[Coins Of the UK and US]

Thanks for the help guys. This is great. Those cabinets are gorgeous but I think they are slightly out of my price range.

[Coins Of the UK and US]

I do also really like the Shilling but my favourite British silver coin is the crown.

[Bernie]

I advise that you should not store your copper or bronze coins in anything that resembles plastic, such as plastic pockets. The coins will sweat and get verdigris.