By: Henry M. Smith
Coins must be preserved in the state they leave the mint as much as possible. This means that everyone who comes in contact with a coin must know how to handle it. That is asking a lot if the coin has had several owners, since it only takes one inexperienced person to cause a coin to depreciate significantly.
Holding a coin without damage requires touching only the edge. It is not just the abrasion that is to be avoided, but any oil or other foreign substance on your fingers could easily be transferred to the coin. This could eventually destroy the finish.
It is not just transferring foreign materials by direct contact that needs to be avoided, a coin can also be diminished in value by exposure to the environment. Avoid taking any coin out of the protective capsule of plastic bag in which it was sealed by the mint. If the coin is packaged in a vacuum, breaking the seal allows exposure to the environment.
For coins that do not come in a protective capsule or bag from the mint, encase them as soon as possible. Before encasement, be very careful with the coin. Place it only on clean, soft surfaces that are devoid of any chemical that might eventually attack it. Paper may contain sulfuric acid, so do not use paper. Never keep a coin in an envelope for a prolong period of time, and avoid using envelopes altogether if possible. Also, avoid speaking near the coin in its direction, since small, unseen droplets of saliva can do excessive damage.
Even sealed coins can be contaminated at the mint. If there is a high pollution count of any substance that will attack the metal the day the coin was sealed, and it is not vacuum sealed, it may eventually show discoloration spots.
Should a coin become discolored, do not clean it. Cleaning usually devalues a coin. Seek professional advice, and if it is considered unwise to clean your coin, do not do it. One exception to the never clean rule is ancient coins that cannot even be seen until they are cleaned after being unearthed.
The real problem is the history of the coin. Many people selling online clearly say the coin remained sealed except for photographing or for scanning it. That once is an unnecessary exposure. Some may even use a less than clean surface upon which to place the coin for photographic purposes. And can you be certain that person did not handle the coin improperly, leaving an oily film on it? Professional and mint workers should know how the coin is to be handled, and respect it as a valuable artifact. Someone who simply wants to sell coins may improperly handle the coin before you purchase it, and the problem may show itself only in the future. Buy from professionals or directly from the mint, and do not hesitate to ask where the dealer obtained the coin. Dealers cannot vouch for the coin’s history unless the dealer got the coin from a mint or a distributor.
One more rule is always avoid exposure of your coins to sunlight. It may trigger some chemical reactions you find undesirable.
Black Spaniel Gallery provides links to the major mints in countries where English is spoken, to allow you direct access to these mints. Some mints sell to the public, others to a distributor, who should be respectful of the coins being distributed. These links can be found athttp://blackspanielgallery.com by selecting the button to the link page. This service to the coin collecting community is happily provided.
In summary, protect your coins both against mishandling and the environment once they are in your protection, and do what you can to determine those who possessed the coin prior to you were equally respectful. And wait until you get your coins home to look at them.
This article is being made available from Black Spaniel Gallery at http://blackspanielgallery.comby the author. Links to major English speaking mints are available at Black Spaniel Gallery.
Even bullion holdings can have a hedge by buying into the rare coin market.
