Best flips or holders for ancient coins...

[ewomack]

Hello. For years, I have stored modern coins in (so-called) air-tites and they work great with relatively low relief samples. As I accumulate more ancients, I find that these holders, in many cases, won't accommodate their much higher reliefs and irregular diameters. So I placed some in thick, oversized plastic containers, but then, of course, they rattle and jostle about inside when moved. My most recent pickups still reside in their dealer flips, which, with their very soft textures, may or may not contain PVC. Which holders, either flips or capsules have worked best for your ancient collections? I see an almost infinite variety of possibilities. To add to the chaos of choice, most sell only in large quantities, making it hard to experiment.

[Parthicus]

I personally use Saflip (as in Safe-Flip, get it?) brand 2 x 2 flips.  They don't contain any PVC or oils, and they come with archival-quality (as in, does not yellow with age) small paper inserts to write up your labels.  I have some older flips that have been in use for 20 years, and they still are clear with no trace of green slime or other PVC-caused residue.  I always transfer recent purchases into Saflips, as many dealer-provided flips do indeed contain PVC.  (I assume you know about the distinctive smell that is associated with PVC, right?  But low-but-still-destructive levels of PVC may not have a noticeable smell.)  I then store coins in their Saflips in archival-quality slide sheets (sheets designed to hold old-style photo slides, if you remember those), 20 per sheet, which can be stored in 3-ring binders (again, I use non-PVC-containing brands).  I'm sure there are other brands that would also work, but that's how I do it.

[ewomack]

24 minutes ago, Parthicus said:

I personally use Saflip (as in Safe-Flip, get it?) brand 2 x 2 flips.  They don't contain any PVC or oils, and they come with archival-quality (as in, does not yellow with age) small paper inserts to write up your labels.  I have some older flips that have been in use for 20 years, and they still are clear with no trace of green slime or other PVC-caused residue.  I always transfer recent purchases into Saflips, as many dealer-provided flips do indeed contain PVC.  (I assume you know about the distinctive smell that is associated with PVC, right?  But low-but-still-destructive levels of PVC may not have a noticeable smell.)  I then store coins in their Saflips in archival-quality slide sheets (sheets designed to hold old-style photo slides, if you remember those), 20 per sheet, which can be stored in 3-ring binders (again, I use non-PVC-containing brands).  I'm sure there are other brands that would also work, but that's how I do it.

I'm very glad that you mentioned Saflips. It triggered a long dormant neuron in my brain. A few years ago, I had purchased a pack of them in hope of submitting some coins to a TPG. That submission never happened, and I thought the holders may have vanished. But a short rummage through the closet produced an unopened 50 pack of them, now ready for service. The neglected pack finally opened and all of my recent Byzantine purchases now reside in Saflips. My other ancients need the same treatment.

[sand]

I use Abafil velvet coin trays, and Abafil coin cases. Except for my Lincoln cent collection, and a few miscellaneous US coins and English coins, which are stored in Whitman albums with sliding plastic sleeves. And my "black cabinet" for fakes, which is a Lighthouse felt coin tray, inside a Lighthouse coin case. And a small wooden chest, for various loose US coins and world coins. And some Whitman plastic coin tubes, for various US coins.

Edited October 22, 2022 by sand

[Roman Collector]

I'm a Saflip user myself!

[Oldhoopster]

I also use Saflips

[Kali]

Saflip user also.