Deciding on what type of coin holder to use is no longer a simple task due to the large variety of holders available for sale. And for all you new collectors, yes you need to house your coins in a holder. Holders provide protection against toning, corrosion, and physical damage that occurs from day to day handling.
As mentioned earlier, today's hobby has many solutions for storing coins and each has advantages and disadvantages. Some are as expensive as $4 and others as low as 3 cents. No one holder may be good for your entire collection so it is more than likely you will need different types of holders based on different needs.
Listed below is a summary of the more popular holders available today with a recommendation of when to use each one. For example, is it really worth buying a $4 holder for a coin that's only worth $1 ? The intent of this article is to strike a balance for collectors between value and protection without ruining your pocket book or coins.
One final parting piece of advice regarding holders, if and when you purchase a coin already in a cardboard holder, flip, or envelope then I recommend changing holders immediately. As a buyer you have no idea how long or the quality of the holder used. It is always the safest route to change these types of coin holders immediately after purchase.
Coin Tubes
Description - Hard plastic cointainers with screw-on type lids. Come in round and square.
Advantages - Low Cost, effective method for storing rolled coinage
Disadvantages - Allows coins to touch one another creating minor scratches and belmishes.
Recommended Use - Short term storage of modern and common low value coin rolls
Suppliers - Generic
Cost - 30 to 50 cents per tube
Flips
Description - Plastic two-part holders. One side of the flip is used to store the coin while the other side of the flip can be used to hold a paper label for recording information. Flips can come in the form of vinyl (high PVC & plastics), non-plasticized (low PVC & plastics) and mylar. For long term storage be sure to only purchase non-plasticized or mylar.
Advantages - Inexpensive & relatively safe. One holder can accomodate many different coin sizes. Very popular amongst world coin collectors.
Disadvantages - Not well sealed, coins can slide out and easily let in air, but there are heat sealing devices to resolve this. Coin can move around creating potential for scratching. Overtime, the holder may become brittle and crack.
Recommended Use - Use with low-value, modern, or world coins. Holder reliable for 5 to 10 years depending on environmental conditions.
Suppliers - E&T Kointainer Saflip, Saf-T-Flips
Cost - 5 cents per coin
Cardboard Staple Style
Description - These holders consist of white cardboard with a clear mylar pocket to let you view the coin. You can attribute and describe coins on the cardboard with pen or pencil. Available in 2"x2" and 2 1/2" x2 1/2" formats.
Advantages - Inexpensive & relatively safe. They're often used by coin dealers because of their low cost and because it's easy to write on them.
Disadvantages - Staples on the staple-type holders can potentially scratch a coin if you're not careful when removing it or rust and leach chemicals onto coins. Chemicals in the cardboard will breakdown over time and leach onto the coin creating a toning condition.
Recommended Use - Use with low-value or modern coins. Holder reliable for 5 to 10 years depending on environmental conditions.
Suppliers - Generic
Cost - 3 cents per coin
Cardboard Adhesive Style
Description - The same as staple type holders but adhesive is used instead of staples
Advantages - Simple and clean when compared to staple types. Convenient tabs for inserting and removing from coin pages.
Disadvantages - Adhesive may breakdown over time and allow the holder to pop open. Chemicals in the cardboard will breakdown over time and leach onto the coin creating a toning condition. Unknown risks if adhesive spreads onto coin.
Recommended Use - Use with low-value or modern coins. Holder reliable for 5 to 10 years depending on environmental conditions.
Suppliers - Supersafe, Lighthouse
Cost - 14 to 16 cents per coin
Capsules
Description - Consists of a snap-together acrylic or mylar holder that fits snugly around the coin. Some capsules, like those from Airtite, also come with an inner foam ring insert. The purpose of the insert is not for additional protection but for aesthetics to outline the coin in white or black.
Advantages - Allows for easy handling and viewing of coins without damaging the coin. Mylar capsules from Kointains allow you to insert the coin & capsule into coin page pockets or with flips for easy storage.
Disadvantages - Acrylic holders require special storage requirements. Mylar holders can be difficult to snap together.
Recommended Use - Long Term Storage for mid to high value coins.
Suppliers - Airtites, Kointains, Lighthouse
Cost - 20 to 75 cents per coin
2x2 Hard Plastic
Description - These come in various formats. The most simple are two hard plastic halves that snap together. More expensive ones may have features such as special inserts and treatments to reduce threatening gases.
Advantages - Simple to use and essay to handle.
Disadvantages - Simpler holders may allow some coins to move around and become scratched. Very few storage & presentation options available. Some holders are very costly per coin.
Recommended Use - Long Term Storage for mid to high value coins.
Suppliers - Capital Plastics, Coinedge, Eagle, Intercept, Marcus, Whitman
Cost - 33 cents to $4 per coin
Coin Slab
Description - Holders that are similar to third party grading companies like PCGS, ANACS, or NGC.
Advantages - Allows you to display non-third party graded coins in the same format as your graded coins.
Disadvantages - Few storage & display options available. Costly on a per coin basis.
Recommended Use - Long Term Storage for mid to high value coins.
Suppliers - Coin World
Cost - $2 per coin