Guide to collecting coins: How to handle, store and enjoy coins!

Unlock the Treasures of Coin Collecting: Your Ultimate Guide to Handling and Storing Coins Like a ProImagine holding a piece of history in your hands—a rare silver dollar from the 1800s, gleaming with untold stories. But one wrong touch, one careless drop, and that treasure could lose its luster forever if handled improperly. If you're passionate about coin collecting, you know the thrill of the hunt, but the real art lies in careful handling and expert storage.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to start (or elevate) your collection safely. No more fingerprints, scratches, or fading values—just pure, preserved perfection.Whether you're a beginner unboxing your first Uncirculated Lincoln Wheat cent or a seasoned numismatist curating a high-grade Morgan dollar set, the right supplies make all the difference.
And guess what? We've curated the best tools from CoinTown's Supplies for Coin Collectors collection to help acquire these fast and at the best prices!
Ready to dive in? Let's turn your hobby into a legacy that can be enjoyed for generations
Why Proper Coin Care is Your Collection's Best Friend (& Your Wallet's)
Coin collecting isn't just about acquisition—it's about preservation.
Did you know that improper handling causes up to 70% of value depreciation or more in collectible coins?
Fingerprints introduce oils that corrode surfaces over time, while exposure to air, light, and humidity can quickly blemish a high grade coin.
Uncirculated copper based coins are arguably the easiest coins to blemish, gaining brown toning over the original red colors easily. While silver is another metal that tones easily (and sometimes pleasantly). While gold coins in business strikes, when handled with care, are not very susceptible to toning due to common household humidities and environmental factors.
The good news? With the right techniques and tools, you can protect your investments for generations. This guide focuses on two pillars: meticulous handling (to avoid damage during inspection and transport) and secure storage (to shield against environmental threats).
By the end, you'll have a step-by-step plan, plus links to must-have products from CoinTown's extensive lineup.
Think of your coins as delicate artifacts—they deserve the VIP treatment. Let's start with the basics of safe handling
Step-by-Step Guide to Handling Coins Without a ScratchTouching a coin with bare hands? Rookie mistake! Human skin oils are the silent killers of numismatic value. Here's how to handle your coins like a vault expert:
  1. Always Pick up and Handle Coins by the Rims / Edges of the coins Never by the faces of the coins
  2. Wash and Drying your hands helps, is a must if the hands are dirty: Use lint-free soap and dry thoroughly —no lotions or creams. Better yet, slip on clean cotton or rubber gloves to create a barrier.
  3. Use Coin Holders or Tweezers: Slide coins into soft flips, staple them into 2x2s, or coin capsules - always grasp edges with anti-static tweezers or your clean fingers. Never grip the faces!
  4. Inspect Under Proper Lighting: Magnify with a jeweler's loupe on a stable surface. Avoid direct sunlight to prevent heat damage. Never handle the coins near open toilets, pluming of any kind, or in ground AC vents where time frustrating and costly retrieval is possible.
  5. Transport in Protective Cases: For moves between albums or safes, use padded envelopes or rigid boxes are a must for coins that contain collector's value, accidents happen too often and these are a great preventative tool
How to Choose the Perfect Holders: Flips, Albums, and Slabs Explained
Handling is half the battle—storage is where your collection thrives. The wrong holder traps moisture; the right one breathes life into preservation. As well as your intended method of storage (as well as storage space) and/or method of display of the numismatic materials.
  • Coin Flips: Archival-quality 2x2" squares for individual protection. Ideal for sorting and viewing.
  • Albums and Pages: Grid-style binders for organized display and accessible viewing of the coins.
  • Slabs and Capsules: For high-value pieces or convenient display, inert plastic or acrylic seals out air and contaminants.
Match your method to your collection: Everyday circulated coins love flips; rare proofs maybe more appropriate in capsules.
Battling Humidity, Dust, and Light: Environmental Storage HacksYour home might be cozy, but it's a battlefield for coins. High humidity rusts silver, dust scratches gold, and UV light fades toning.Key Defenses:
  • Humidity Control: Aim for 40-50% RH with silica packs or dehumidifiers.
  • Dust Barriers: Seal in inert holders; store in closed cabinets.
  • Light Management: Keep away from windows; use LED task lights for inspections.
40 Gram Silica Gel Desiccant Moisture Absorber Atmospheric Coin Dehumi – Robinson's Coin Town
Pro Tips: Do not clean your coins
We highly discourage collector's from cleaning coins.
While there are proper ways to clean coins (as NGC CAC PCGS ANACS and all reputable 3rd party certification companies state when assigning a "details" damaged grade describing the coin as Improperly Cleaned, meaning there is a proper way), we highly discourage collector's from doing this themselves. Even sending them to a 3rd party grading service for restoration can be a gamble as we have heard (one coming from a current worker) horror stories of very valuable coins being damaged by restoration services by major grading companies.
We do have for sale (unable to ship and not for mail order sale) a few common coin & jewelry cleaning supplies including E-Z-Est Jeweluster Coin Cleaner for sale at our Marietta GA physical store location on Historic Marietta Square (About Us – Robinson's Coin Town); that can be used on circulated 90% silver coins that have no numismatic premium.
We welcome visitors to our Marietta, GA location store who purchase this item to ask how and when this is used; but still encourage anyone unfamiliar with collector's dates & varieties to avoid using this product as it's for advanced collectors.
Get Started Today: Build Your Essential Kit
Supplies For Coin Collectors – Robinson's Coin Town