Collectors please note the following: For long-term protection all of your non-certified coins and currency should be stored in archive quality holders. These can include the stiff, clear plastic currency envelopes or double coin flips. These types of flips don't feel as nice to your hands and they will crack or scratch over time, but they are much safer for your investment. You should never store rare coins or currency in soft clear plastic flips, envelopes or page holders. The soft clear plastic has large amounts of softeners added to them that contain PVC and they can damage your fine collectables. If you are storing your coins or currency in soft clear plastic you should promptly remove them and store them in archive quality storage holders only. If you can’t find this type of holder your coin dealer or local coin shop can supply them to you for a small charge, they buy them in bulk.

There are various safe, hard storage holders manufactured specifically for long-term storage of rare coins. Some of these actually have moisture and, or gas scavengers added in the manufacturing process. This is done to reduce oxidation or natural tone development. This type of double protection can be of special benefit to the collector that wants to maintain a brilliant coin finish. There are also special moisture or gas scavenger holders and containers that are available for certified coins. Please be aware that most certification companies will not guarantee that their certified coin holders are airtight or that they will stop tone development. We think these types of holders should be of interest to collectors of expensive brilliant silver coins and especially collectors of expensive copper coins. 

Never wrap or store your coins or currency in foil, cellophane, most paper, wax paper, coffee cans, paper bags, cigar boxes, metal lunch boxes, leather pouches or sandwich bags. Never place rubber bands around your flips or currency envelops for long-term storage, they tend to disintegrate over time and they will cause problems. The paper flips with the Mylar are safe for storage but you must be extra careful with the staples. We have seen more GEM coins ruined by collectors using the wrong storage technique than any other reason.