Expert: Ronald Fern - 2/16/2011

Question
Two questions:

1. How do you keep paper to last forever?
2. How do you keep your coin to last forever?

Answer
Hi Henry:

Thanks for your question.

First off, I would never recommend trying to clean coins or paper items. That being said, there are ways to conserve your collectibles. At the very least both valuable coins and paper items should be protected from the elements. This would mean putting them in holders free of acid or other chemicals that would affect the surfaces of your collectibles. One chemical, PVC, can cause damage. A collectible can be irreparably harmed by environmental reaction to the chemical plasticizer in plastic holders. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used thermoplastic that has many applications. In the numismatic field it is found in the manufacture of  transparent, dual-pocket envelopes used by dealers, collectors and grading services for displaying and handling coins and paper money. This plastic is safe enough for short-term use, but long-term storage brings with it a serious hazard.

Almost all collectors desire nice "original" coins which haven't been harshly cleaned. Hairline scratches from polishing may be OK on door knobs and silverware, but not on coins. If you must clean a coin to remove harmful dirt or contamination, you should use only non-abrasive liquid solvents, such as soap and distilled water or rubbing alcohol. Even rubbing with a Q-tip can damage proof or mint state coins. Although there are products available that remove tarnish from coins, these liquids are actually chemical etches that also remove a small amount of metal from the coin and dull the luster. They should be used sparingly or not at all, and they should not be used on copper or nickel coins. If you can see the coin's natural luster through the tarnish or "toning," you probably should not attempt any kind of "dipping" to remove the tarnish, although you can still use non-etching solvents to remove dirt or contamination.

Collector coins should be handled only by the edge (over a soft surface in case you drop the coin) to prevent getting fingerprints on the coin's surface. This is especially important for coins grading AU-50 or better.

Sources for chemical free holders:
http://www.jpscorner.com/Coin_Holders.htm
http://www.2-clicks-coins.com/article/coin-collecting-supplies.html

Sources of information on conservation:
Coins: http://www.ncscoin.com/pdfs/conservation_guide.pdf
Paper: http://www.collectorsguide.com/fa/fa010.shtml

Other things that some professional services do are procedures to remove foreign materials, toning (tarnish), residues and contaminants from the surfaces, using a variety of non-abrasive chemicals, depending on the particular situation, while protecting the originality of the collectible's surfaces. These companies charge a fee for this service. It will also include the cost associated with shipping, handling and insuring the collectibles. These vary from company to company and depend on part with the estimated value of the item.

Professional Services:
Coins: http://www.coinresource.com/news/ncs_facts.htm or http://www.ncscoin.com/         
Paper: http://www.pmgnotes.com/

Hope this helps to answer you question. Please remember to go to the experts site to rate this answer. Check the nomination box on the rating page below any comments you may have.

Thank You and Good Luck in your collecting.