I heard about how PCV plastic can damage coins. Sadly, I just bought a Coin Album from NBS just before i got aware of the possible damage it can cause.

Does any one here store coins from plastic album sheets? Is it true? I'd like to know how much is true to this? Need advice... Thanks in advance.

you can go to mr. jun cuartero at ghills. he is located in the second floor of the lifestyle center. He should be able to help you with the pp plastic sheets since i believe he has a few in stock.

my ten pieces of 1979 commemorative unc silver 50 peso set were damaged by PVC plastic holder. so i decided to sell them all. together i also sold some 25 set of 1980 unc mac Arthur 25 peso silver coin and its assorted coins. thinking that they too might as well be contaminated. and i don't like 50% silver. well, after 4 year. in 1983. i sold them. it looks like those coins have some premium on it. what a waste?.

another one is that during 1974 when central bank of the Philippines inaugurated its 25 year anniversary. the bank offered 100,000 pc of unc 1974 25 peso silver coins. it allow 10 pc per person. you have to fall in line. a long line as expected. so i asked another person to buy 9 pc additional for me. cause he is only buying one piece. unfortunately. the bank teller used her hands without gloves and count those coins repeatedly. i saw fingerprint all over each coin. that's terrible. it might not considered uncirculated. and those finger print will damage those 19 beautiful coin in the future. so after 3 year or so. in 1977. i also decided to sell them all. other reason i sell it. it is because during those days. collectors were considered this 1974 coin contained 50% silver. and i hate 50% only.

lastly. i got some 100 pc of sea salvaged collected by my father. i took it during 1970's. those were dark and ugly. and i am new to this coin hobby. so i decided without asking other people and clean them all with water and baking soda. but still came out ugly. so finally i am so smart to use brush and clean it using force. the result. more terrible and many scratches. so i also decided during that time 1970's to sell them all at only three pesos a piece. i am so happy. actually, i am so damn.

well, finally i am now considered a well informed collector. and my collection. 99% of it were all new. proof or uncirculated. all u.s. modern coins and came with nice beautiful boxes, sleeves, and certificate of authenticity. with silver going up so much. i am very much contented and happy. what a nice hobby?. coin collection.

never clean a clean. use holder only with PVC free. protect coins with silica gel. keep in a clean, dry and humid free place. new coin should never touch it. beautiful toned coin can have premium on it. keep coin with original box and certificate of authenticity. and cover everything, include box with new, clean, pvc free plastic sandwich bag. finally store them in a very safety place to prevent theft, etc.

@tracy - does cleaning a coin with water and baking soda alters the coin surface?

do not clean. if you clean. it become a bullion coin. why?. one reason is that you clean a coin. the dirt came out. the scratches on the surface of a coin become so clear that by using your own eyes without magnify lens. it can detect the damage on a coin instantly. so never clean a coin. a original dirty coin is even look prettier than a clean coin.

for uncirculated coin. do not clean. keep it in a safe dry place with silica gel for protection. if it tone or change color. tone beautifully even command a nice premium as high as 10x or 1000% in some case.

baking soda is an abrasive. though you might not be able to see any scratches upon inspection using the naked eye, collectors usually at a minimum inspect coins using a 5x - 10x magnifying glass. under that magnification you will be able to see some scratches not seen by the naked eye.

thanks guys. it's just because sometimes when i look at coins that i like, the indicators besides from weight and detail are not enough for me to say it is genuine.

for example, a morgan dollar that is severely toned (dark gray to blackish) and the lustre is missing. it might have the right weight and details but the luster is gone especially the cartwheel effect.

i saw one in the youtube videos of a fake morgan which has some sort of oxide that completely emulated the surface effects of a dark-toned morgan.

i've encountered quite a bit of those kinds of coins locally especially with the old 1 peso coins.

most of the coins that have toned and have the lustre (cartwheel effect) missing are previously cleaned coins.

i've read that there are coins that have been dipped but still retain the original lustre though