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Recommendations for Handling Raw Coins

MidLifeCrisisMidLifeCrisis Posts: 10,547 ✭✭✭✭✭

I've collected slabbed coins almost exclusively for the past 20+ years. Lately I've been going to antique stores with my in-laws and local coin shops in small towns, and occasionally I've been buying raw coins that I find. They usually come in the 2x2 stapled holders but I may want to submit some for grading and certification. I know to handle the coins by the edges. Are there other recommendations you can give me? Especially for handling more expensive raw coins (say $100 and up)? Type of gloves to wear or avoid...type of matt or pad to buy to hold the coins over...anything else you can think of. Thanks.

Comments

  • Mr_SpudMr_Spud Posts: 5,363 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I like to use nitrile gloves like these, they work great and never dropped a coin holding with these, cotton gloves are slippery and easy to drop a coin if you go that route

    Mr_Spud

  • Married2CoinsMarried2Coins Posts: 582 ✭✭✭

    @MidLifeCrisis said:
    I've collected slabbed coins almost exclusively for the past 20+ years. Lately I've been going to antique stores with my in-laws and local coin shops in small towns, and occasionally I've been buying raw coins that I find. They usually come in the 2x2 stapled holders but I may want to submit some for grading and certification. I know to handle the coins by the edges. Are there other recommendations you can give me? Especially for handling more expensive raw coins (say $100 and up)? Type of gloves to wear or avoid...type of matt or pad to buy to hold the coins over...anything else you can think of. Thanks.

    AFAIK none of the professional TPGS graders wear gloves while handling valuable coins. I doubt that very many dealers or collectors do either but it looks good in the old ads.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,255 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @HillbillyCollector said:
    I don’t handle many raw coins, at all. But is there really a need to be so careful as to glove up?
    Now I can see being really careful with a proof coin but these old circulated coins have been handled countless times throughout the years. Are we really going to cause additional wear, especially when handling the coin by the edge.
    >
    I believe it was @CaptHenway that was holding a gold slug in his hand a few months ago, causing no harm. Please forgive if it was someone else.
    >
    I just think using common sense and being careful not to drop the coin and hold on the edges, with clean hands is being careful enough. Am I wrong?

    I don't wear gloves. However, I do wear gloves when running a whatnot so I don't accidentally print the coin.

    And while I'm pretty cavalier, I do sometimes wince a bit when someone has the coin in their palm or has fingers that are contacting the faces. I assume you've seen fingerprints on coins before. They often start out invisible.

  • HillbillyCollectorHillbillyCollector Posts: 610 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @HillbillyCollector said:
    I don’t handle many raw coins, at all. But is there really a need to be so careful as to glove up?
    Now I can see being really careful with a proof coin but these old circulated coins have been handled countless times throughout the years. Are we really going to cause additional wear, especially when handling the coin by the edge.
    >
    I believe it was @CaptHenway that was holding a gold slug in his hand a few months ago, causing no harm. Please forgive if it was someone else.
    >
    I just think using common sense and being careful not to drop the coin and hold on the edges, with clean hands is being careful enough. Am I wrong?

    I don't wear gloves. However, I do wear gloves when running a whatnot so I don't accidentally print the coin.

    And while I'm pretty cavalier, I do sometimes wince a bit when someone has the coin in their palm or has fingers that are contacting the faces. I assume you've seen fingerprints on coins before. They often start out invisible.

    Yeah, I would definitely not hold the surface of the coin with fingers.
    Please explain “when running a whatnot.” I’m not familiar with that term.

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,340 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 28, 2024 12:12PM

    Wash hands, wear gloves and handle the coin by the edges (don't drop the darned thing), fwiw

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,255 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @HillbillyCollector said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @HillbillyCollector said:
    I don’t handle many raw coins, at all. But is there really a need to be so careful as to glove up?
    Now I can see being really careful with a proof coin but these old circulated coins have been handled countless times throughout the years. Are we really going to cause additional wear, especially when handling the coin by the edge.
    >
    I believe it was @CaptHenway that was holding a gold slug in his hand a few months ago, causing no harm. Please forgive if it was someone else.
    >
    I just think using common sense and being careful not to drop the coin and hold on the edges, with clean hands is being careful enough. Am I wrong?

    I don't wear gloves. However, I do wear gloves when running a whatnot so I don't accidentally print the coin.

    And while I'm pretty cavalier, I do sometimes wince a bit when someone has the coin in their palm or has fingers that are contacting the faces. I assume you've seen fingerprints on coins before. They often start out invisible.

    Yeah, I would definitely not hold the surface of the coin with fingers.
    Please explain “when running a whatnot.” I’m not familiar with that term.

    Whatnot.com

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,230 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 28, 2024 3:53AM

    Generally I like them in 2x2 non pvc flips stored in Whitman storage boxes. Items $10 and over inventoried in excel / items less than $10 cost - bulk inventory.

    Coins & Currency
  • OAKSTAROAKSTAR Posts: 7,217 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 28, 2024 5:15AM

    I agree with everything @PerryHall said.

    A few other tips:

    Avoid this.

    For all those with iPhones. Turn off your phones and look at the screens.... That's what's on raw coins. Have you ever coin roll searched without gloves? Look at your hands... That's what's on raw coins.

    So don't lick your fingers after handling raw coins!! 🤣 :D 😂

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • FrazFraz Posts: 2,118 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Manifest_Destiny said:
    Always wash your hands after handling each coin to avoid cross contamination.

    Pocket lint and wrap stock spread pareidolia to the coin too. Look away from a raw coin for a while and you’ll be okay.

  • Married2CoinsMarried2Coins Posts: 582 ✭✭✭

    If I eat a cookie and then tpouch the surface of a proof gold $20 it will show a print. Can that print become "fixed" so it can never come off? Or is it just silver and copper where a print is permanent?

  • Slade01Slade01 Posts: 294 ✭✭✭

    @Married2Coins said:
    If I eat a cookie and then tpouch the surface of a proof gold $20 it will show a print. Can that print become "fixed" so it can never come off? Or is it just silver and copper where a print is permanent?

    Unknown, please do that experiment and get us some results, and make sure that you have an adequate sample size of coins and cookies. ;)

  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,157 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OAKSTAR said:
    I agree with everything @PerryHall said.

    A few other tips:

    Avoid this.

    And the easiest way to avoid that is to take the corner of a box cutter to the little bit of space at the edge of the mylar where it meets the cardboard and pierce the mylar. Then bend the holder there and they mylar should rip and the coin comes out without the staples being opened up.

    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • Married2CoinsMarried2Coins Posts: 582 ✭✭✭

    @Slade01 said:

    @Married2Coins said:
    If I eat a cookie and then tpouch the surface of a proof gold $20 it will show a print. Can that print become "fixed" so it can never come off? Or is it just silver and copper where a print is permanent?

    Unknown, please do that experiment and get us some results, and make sure that you have an adequate sample size of coins and cookies. ;)

    Wish Icould. I don't own any Proof gold coins.

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,147 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @airplanenut said:

    @OAKSTAR said:
    I agree with everything @PerryHall said.

    A few other tips:

    Avoid this.

    And the easiest way to avoid that is to take the corner of a box cutter to the little bit of space at the edge of the mylar where it meets the cardboard and pierce the mylar. Then bend the holder there and they mylar should rip and the coin comes out without the staples being opened up.

    That's what I said except poking a hole in the edge of the mylar window with a sharp toothpick is safer. The window material is thin and tears easily when it's been pierced and you bend the cardboard holder.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,255 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @airplanenut said:

    @OAKSTAR said:
    I agree with everything @PerryHall said.

    A few other tips:

    Avoid this.

    And the easiest way to avoid that is to take the corner of a box cutter to the little bit of space at the edge of the mylar where it meets the cardboard and pierce the mylar. Then bend the holder there and they mylar should rip and the coin comes out without the staples being opened up.

    That's what I said except poking a hole in the edge of the mylar window with a sharp toothpick is safer. The window material is thin and tears easily when it's been pierced and you bend the cardboard holder.

    This. Or I will use a pen or pencil tip. Using a box cutter is as dangerous or more so than the staples themselves.

  • OAKSTAROAKSTAR Posts: 7,217 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 28, 2024 12:06PM

    @Married2Coins said:
    If I eat a cookie and then tpouch the surface of a proof gold $20 it will show a print. Can that print become "fixed" so it can never come off? Or is it just silver and copper where a print is permanent?

    Don't do this either.

    Or this..

    Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )

  • airplanenutairplanenut Posts: 22,157 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @PerryHall said:

    @airplanenut said:

    @OAKSTAR said:
    I agree with everything @PerryHall said.

    A few other tips:

    Avoid this.

    And the easiest way to avoid that is to take the corner of a box cutter to the little bit of space at the edge of the mylar where it meets the cardboard and pierce the mylar. Then bend the holder there and they mylar should rip and the coin comes out without the staples being opened up.

    That's what I said except poking a hole in the edge of the mylar window with a sharp toothpick is safer. The window material is thin and tears easily when it's been pierced and you bend the cardboard holder.

    This. Or I will use a pen or pencil tip. Using a box cutter is as dangerous or more so than the staples themselves.

    I learned the trick at the 2003 Baltimore ANA, and in just about 21 years have hurt myself 0 times, so I think it's a risk I can take.

    JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
  • Baylor8670Baylor8670 Posts: 79 ✭✭✭
    edited April 28, 2024 12:51PM

    Give the coins a good soak in 100% acetone. I recently put about 30 raw coins in acetone for a little while and set the dish out on an outdoors porch to evaporate when I was done with it. When I came back later, I found just a little bit of residue in my 6'' by 6'' glass dish. Many collectors have no idea how absolutely disgusting most coins are (slabbed or not).

  • Baylor8670Baylor8670 Posts: 79 ✭✭✭

    @Slade01 said:

    @Married2Coins said:
    If I eat a cookie and then tpouch the surface of a proof gold $20 it will show a print. Can that print become "fixed" so it can never come off? Or is it just silver and copper where a print is permanent?

    Unknown, please do that experiment and get us some results, and make sure that you have an adequate sample size of coins and cookies. ;)

    If you have something on your fingers that is strong enough to etch into gold, then you're going to need some new fingers.

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