Question about storage of Red and Red/Brown copper coins
uscoinguy
Posts: 150 ✭✭✭
If a certified Indian Head cent or Lincoln non Zinc cent (or any copper coin) is stored in a PCGS/NGC storage box is there a risk of outside contaminants impacting the color based on where the boxes are stored? What if the storage boxes are in a cardboard box or a wooden drawer, or on the floor under a bed? Is there a risk of the Sulphur in the cardboard or wood toning the coin to the point it changes from Red to R/B or R/B to Brown?
I would guess that living by an ocean or in a consistently humid climate would present even bigger issues. I live in the Midwest so humidity is not a big issue except in the summer, but the A/C is on most of the time anyway. My best coins are in a SDB but not every coin I own is SDB worthy (plus I could not afford all those SDB’s 
).
Has anybody heard of studies or anecdotal stories of these types of coins turning due to how they were stored? thanks
Comments
There have been threads on this in the past. If I recall correctly, they mentioned keeping desiccates in with them to keep the moisture low and keeping the temperature constant and even. Probably goes without saying they shouldn't be stored in blazing light.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
There's always a risk, but TPG encapsulation minimizes it. It's best to do sensible things, like use desiccant, store without troublesome substances (rubber bands, e.g.), keep in low light, low temperature, low humidity environments.
A cocktail or a couple of beers a day may also help.
Lance.
Chocolate brown copper is the way to go IMHO.
1. Looks better (Red sucks)
2. Less reactive to the environment.
3. 1800 red copper...really?
4. "A cocktail or a couple of beers a day may also help"
5. Huge premium for red copper? Really?
6. I wouldn't pay the premium for red, but I would pay the premium (and I do ) for brown.
7. Did I mention brown copper?
I like all RD, RB, BN. Especially if they have no spots and lots of luster and strong strike. The problem is a lot of those are the proof coins which I choose not to afford at this point in time.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Intercept shield boxes are archival. They seal more soundly and actually include a sacrificial anode as an oxygen scavenger.
If you want to use PCGS boxes, I would put them in an outer box that seals more tightly with a dessicant. Or, even better, put them in vacuum seal freezer bags and suck all the air out.
Although slabs are not hermetically sealed, they do act as a barrier in reasonable environments. A concern not mentioned already is what contaminants may be on the coin prior to slabbing. Even a mild exposure that leaves some degree of deposition will eventually provide copper enough to begin oxidation. That being said, it is just a possibility and likely a rare one...For general purposes, slabs in a controlled environment will do well over a collectors life span. Desiccant or Intercept shield boxes are additional insurance. Cheers, RickO
Couldn't agree with ya more! I'm currently putting together a collection of PCGS 64 & 65 Indian cents, and not a single bright shiny one in the lot.