Does heat and humidity effect slabbed coins?

BearlyHere

Thinking about putting a safe in my garage. I live in DFW and my garage is probably 130-140 degrees and 60% humidity in high summer.

ricko

Slabs, for the most part, are not airtight.... Though I have heard some say the new generations are. I would not recommend coins be stored in those conditions.... I have been to DFW numerous times, hot and humid for sure. Best have the safe in the house. Cheers, RickO

Aercus

Many slabs, especially older ones, are not air tight. So, the answer is, yes it's possible. You also have to consider the possibility of whether the coin had any foreign substance on it when slabbed, as well.

JBK

Yes and yes.

60% might not be radical, but 140 degrees seems to me to be pretty extreme.

Unknown

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golden

Don't do it!

BearlyHere

Thanks for the feedback. I got to find a way to protect these from fire.

Jzyskowski1

You might want to contact a b&m operation for advice. There are many in your area. A quick google of coin stores and your a phone call away from good local information. Good luck and coin are affected by the dang weather. I live in a very dry climate. But I have bought many coins out of Texas and never noticed any glaring problems. They will know. Thanks 🤓🙀

MetroD

"Can my coin change appearance after being placed in a PCGS holder?

It is extremely unlikely that your coin will change appearance within a PCGS holder. The PCGS holder was designed specifically for the long-term storage and protection of your coins. The holder itself is made of inert materials that keep your coin safe. The sealed holder inhibits the entrance of atmospheric gasses and contaminants that might harm your coin. Even so, common sense dictates that you should keep your PCGS graded coins safe for a lifetime. Avoid humidity and excessive temperature swings by keeping your coins in a dry environment, preferably at a constant room temperature. It's also important to note that PCGS' holders are sonically sealed but not air tight."
Source

Edited to add: @ricko mentioned the 'current/latest' holder from PCGS. Here is an overview.

TurtleCat

I’m pretty sure no slab is airtight in any way. You’re playing with fire if you store them in heat and humidity.

PerryHall

@TurtleCat said:
I’m pretty sure no slab is airtight in any way. You’re playing with fire if you store them in heat and humidity.

There are no slabs that are totally air tight. When the barometric pressure rises, air will enter the slab and conversely when the barometric pressure drops air will leave the slab. Store your slabs in your home where the temperature and humidity are relatively stable.

Unknown

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BearlyHere

@SummerDays3104 said:

@PerryHall said:

@TurtleCat said:
I’m pretty sure no slab is airtight in any way. You’re playing with fire if you store them in heat and humidity.

There are no slabs that are totally air tight. When the barometric pressure rises, air will enter the slab and conversely when the barometric pressure drops air will leave the slab. Store your slabs in your home where the temperature and humidity are relatively stable.

Ya, store them in a pot of boiling water... I feel that's the safest place, it's kind of like reverse psychology on physics. If you put it somewhere VERY hot and humid, the laws of physics can't comprehend what's happening, therefore, they will never damage!

Brilliant!!! Then nobody can reach in and grab them!

Unknown

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BStrauss3

None of the slabs are air-tight - that's one of the ways people gas coins to tone them.

there is a generation of PCGS slabs that were water-tight, but it doesn't seem like those are still in existence - does anybody know for sure?

Cougar1978

Yes absolutely. Store coins in heat / humidity slabbed or otherwise they will go very blackish dark and dipping will be a chore getting off. You will strongly regret it. Even after there is a dip there is a brownish dull ugly look.

Anybody who has read the coin perseveration hand book knows heat and humidity coins worse enemy. Tarnished coins a step down in my view. Go with coins with super luster, flashily cartwheel luster, brilliant white, PQ as pristine as the day the left the mint. That’s the real original look not some trash piece that looks run over by a truck. Calling tarnished coins toners is just somebody trying sidestep the problem. Coins will tarnish over time - flip them regularly.

I don’t know of any slabs that are air rite so in that case they will react w atmosphere. That’s why I regard the long term investment RCI line some them give a cruel joke and very ignorant misguided advice.

gumby1234

@BearlyHere Put them in a safe deposit box with some desiccant packs. My coins were in for 30 years and look the same as the day they went in. You have protection from fire and theft that way also.

ReadyFireAim

How about a in-floor tube safe?
I hear they are very fire resistant & it should be cooler under the slab.

My father has one that he parks his tractor over & nobody can start that thing except him so he doesn't even have to lock it.

Unknown

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Cougar1978

An in floor safe (below surface) would still be subject to the heat and humidity of the locale. In A city subject to Hurricane or storm flooding you have the risk it would submerged by flood waters.

It amazes me how collectors spend big money on coins (that don’t even pay interest or dividends) oblivious to the potentials of reaction to the atmosphere, heat and humidity, theft, flooding. I believe a lot of them the elevator simply does not go to the top. Like children many have to be told how to store their coins, etc. I would be embarrassed. Further more slabs are not airtight (to my knowledge) and the coins are constantly in contact with the atmosphere.

At 17 I acquired a copy of the coin preservation hand book. I started storing my coins (did mot have many) in sealed jars w silica gel in an ac indoor environment in a safe my mother inherited from her step father. It has since then been passed down to me. I also have a newer model too. However ones RCI sb compact enough that it can be moved to bank SDB when out of town.

Don’t buy coins if you don’t have strategy safely store or good security plan. Figure out what your budget is and a plan quantity that supports sane storage. I only buy up to plan quantity and if at that not a buyer unless something sells. Churn them buying and selling as time goes on getting cash flow and any profit.

BStrauss3

@gumby1234 said:
@BearlyHere Put them in a safe deposit box with some desiccant packs. My coins were in for 30 years and look the same as the day they went in. You have protection from fire and theft that way also.

No, you don't - read your Safety Deposit Box agreement.

gumby1234

@BStrauss3 said:

@gumby1234 said:
@BearlyHere Put them in a safe deposit box with some desiccant packs. My coins were in for 30 years and look the same as the day they went in. You have protection from fire and theft that way also.

No, you don't - read your Safety Deposit Box agreement.

I dont have one anymore. Never read it when I did. What did I miss?

lkenefic

I lived in FL for a little while (~7 yrs) and most of my childhood collection was destroyed by heat, humidity, and improper storage. The only ones that survived were stored indoors in non-PVC flips and plastic rounds. I suspect TX would have a similar effect.

Cougar1978

Yes Texas wb just as bad as Florida especially if close to coast.

BStrauss3

@gumby1234 said:

@BStrauss3 said:

@gumby1234 said:
@BearlyHere Put them in a safe deposit box with some desiccant packs. My coins were in for 30 years and look the same as the day they went in. You have protection from fire and theft that way also.

No, you don't - read your Safety Deposit Box agreement.

I dont have one anymore. Never read it when I did. What did I miss?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/business/safe-deposit-box-theft.html

gumby1234

@BStrauss3 It has to be safer than any home safe as to fire or theft.

Edit- insurance would cover the losses. Most bank vaults don't ever get breached.

thefinn

Not good for the slabs. Plus it will be much easier for someone to load it into the back of a pickup and open it somewhere else.

Herb_T

I would find out what gun owners do. Humidity is the killer of many a gun….

gumby1234

@Herb_T gun owners clean and oil them. Not a good idea for coins.

Jzyskowski1

@Herb_T said:
I would find out what gun owners do. Humidity is the killer of many a gun….

oil and clean store in gun safe. Ok for guns not so good for coins

Hiawatha

I have seen NGC inserts warp from being in a damp environment the paper must absorb moisture

MetroD

@Herb_T said:
I would find out what gun owners do. Humidity is the killer of many a gun….

Interesting idea.

I hear some of them use 'large/rechargeable' desiccant containers to control the moisture in a safe.
Examples:
~ https://www.dehumidify.com/rechargeable-hydrosorbent-dehumidifiers
~ https://www.hornadysecurity.com/security-accessories/canister-dehumidifier#!/

Also, just encountered this automatic dehumidifier. It appears to be a Peltier device.
Note - I am NOT familiar with all of the specs and capabilities of this unit. Further research would be required to determine suitability for a specific application.

Cougar1978

Sea air another baddie for them. Hold them too long they go bad in holder big time. Salt air corrodes them darkens surfaces. How will that affect sticker value lol? Did you bet up your hand pay big premium for them?

Regards Happy Friday

BearlyHere

@gumby1234 said:
@BearlyHere Put them in a safe deposit box with some desiccant packs. My coins were in for 30 years and look the same as the day they went in. You have protection from fire and theft that way also.

LOL, we're talking about 35 PCGS 20 slab boxes. The bank will milk me dry.

Cougar1978

The thing is don’t banks off the ac during closed hours?

Jzyskowski1

I believe their safes are climate controlled

Steven59

@Cougar1978 said:
[The thing is don’t banks off the ac during closed hours?]

They did in Mayberry. Needed to give them poor Hamsters running in the wheel a break.

habaraca

google Golden Rod, and check this link..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PskMWU_wjm8&ab_channel=Nashvillesafehouse

neildrobertson

@BStrauss3 said:

@gumby1234 said:
@BearlyHere Put them in a safe deposit box with some desiccant packs. My coins were in for 30 years and look the same as the day they went in. You have protection from fire and theft that way also.

No, you don't - read your Safety Deposit Box agreement.

Your agreement isn't what protects the coins from the world and the elements. SDBs have some measure of theft protection. They limit access, and it's usually under camera surveillance...among other things.

Sure. They aren't insured, but insurance only comes into play after they've been lost to the elements. And in that case, you've already lost regardless of how well insured you are.

BStrauss3

https://www.bankofamerica.com/content/pdf/en_us/safe-deposit-box-accnt-rules-regulations.pdf

CONTENTS NOT INSURED: (1) The contents of the Box are not insured by the Bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), or by any government or private insurance company. (2) Renter is solely responsible for securing adequate insurance for the Box contents. You alone know what contents have been placed in your Box. (3) Renter agrees to keep a complete list and description of all contents stored in the Box, and any available proof of ownership and store the list somewhere other than the Box.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Due to the difficulty in verifying the contents of a Box or the value of the contents, it would be impractical and extremely difficult to anticipate or fix actual damages. Therefore, the Bank’s liability for any loss in connection with the Box, for whatever reason, shall not exceed ten (10) times the annual rent rate for the Box except as otherwise provided by law. The Bank has no duty of care concerning the contents placed inside the Box. Renter understands that the Bank does not know what contents are placed inside the Box. You alone are responsible for the contents placed inside the Box. The Bank assumes no liability for damage to contents as a result of fire, explosion, heat, smoke, water, flooding or plumbing issues and building damage, or other events beyond the Bank’s control.

STANDARD OF CARE: This Agreement does not imply or establish any relation of bailor and bailee or landlord and tenant between the Bank and Renter. Renter assumes all risks arising out of the deposit of contents in the Box, except that the Bank is not exempt from liability due to its own willful injury to such contents. Renter agrees that the Bank shall not be liable for any loss sustained by Renter, unless such loss is caused by some specific and clearly proven willful act of the Bank. The Bank is not liable for any contents removed from the Box pursuant to court order or other judicial process or removal by any law enforcement official.