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 yesterday at 05:46 PM 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.

[Coins Of the UK and US]

Thanks Bernie. That’s some good advice.

[Sword]

I think you would be fine if you use mylar which is an inert plastic. Avoid PVC like the plague as it releases harmful chemicals. I am not a bronze collector and would probably use inert 2x2 coin holders which is air tight for high grade lustrous examples. Airtight is good for bronze to reduce the chances of toning.

[Sword]

14 hours ago, Coins Of the UK and US said:

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

I love crowns as their large size allows you to see so much details and admire the engraver's art. Pistrucci's St George and the dragon design wouldn't work on a small coin like a threepence for example. But high grade pre 1887 examples are very / too expensive for me. Worn examples lose their appeal as the intricate details are gone. I have got some of the common ones in high grade and had to settle for a nice VF+ Victoria VH. If I ever come into money one day (fat chance!), then I would like to get a GVF Charles II crown. When I visit the Ashmolean Museum, I always see and admire the Charles I Oxford crown.

Then I moved on to the smaller halfcrowns, florins, shillings, etc. as they are more affordable. I buy very little these days and don't have a tick list.

[Coins Of the UK and US]

Thanks Sword. This is really helpful. I agree that the early crowns are very expensive but they are absolutely beautiful.

[wlewisiii]

19 minutes ago, Sword said:

I love crowns as their large size allows you to see so much details and admire the engraver's art. Pistrucci's St George and the dragon design wouldn't work on a small coin like a threepence for example. But high grade pre 1887 examples are very / too expensive for me. Worn examples lose their appeal as the intricate details are gone. I have got some of the common ones in high grade and had to settle for a nice VF+ Victoria VH. If I ever come into money one day (fat chance!), then I would like to get a GVF Charles II crown. When I visit the Ashmolean Museum, I always see and admire the Charles I Oxford crown.

Then I moved on to the smaller halfcrowns, florins, shillings, etc. as they are more affordable. I buy very little these days and don't have a tick list.

Yup. I have a gorgeous 1818 crown for example. But my shillings are far easier to find and much easier for my budget overall. I've stretched my timeline into more expensive territory (Charles II, James II, W&M etc) but one at a time, here and there, & they aren't as bad as the crowns. 

[Coins Of the UK and US]

The shilling is also a great coin and the earlier ones are gorgeous.

[copper123]

The five tray coin boxes that were in lidl  arround fouryears ago for £11.99 were fantastic there are a few on ebay still available for around £25 , I am pretty sure you will not see the old price again ever

[Coins Of the UK and US]

Thanks copper123. Those trays do look nice and £25 is a fair price but I wish they were still £12.

[copper123]

3 hours ago, Coins Of the UK and US said:

Thanks copper123. Those trays do look nice and £25 is a fair price but I wish they were still £12.

so do I, blame putin , they are still good value at £25

[Coins Of the UK and US]

I agree.