How to Manage Store Display and Keep Track of Large Coin Collection & Supplies
Guide to staying Organized, getting Maximum Pleasure and even Showing Your Collection to Others
NEWEST 2019 UPDATED VERSION OF VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptwOMfrkh1s
SEE ALSO MY ORIGINAL VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UBgiNLjjoc
Hello my friends, my name is Ilya Zlobin and I have been working with world and ancient coins for over 15 years now. I run an eBay store http://www.ebaystores.com/Authentic-Ancient-Greek-Roman-Coins/ with over 18,000 items. I am technically a collector until someone buys the item I am selling, so I am writing this article to take a beginner or even advanced collector to an even higher level. This arrticle and video explains how one would keep track of such a record number of items, stay organized and be able to display these comfortably and professionally while having fun. I believe that presentation is important and keeping organized gets other people interesting in collecting also. This is especially important information for those deciding to start a collection that will be an heirloom for countless generations. I hope that you can appreciate this article, as this is the entire time period condensed into an easy-to-follow guide. My intention is to benefit you and help you help yourself build an even more amazing coin collection that you can enjoy even more with a few simple techniques and tools.
Shop with Reputable Coin Dealers
Shop with a reputable ancient Greek and Roman and world coin dealer. It is best if he/she has a great track record and provide a guarantee of authenticity. Also a beautiful certificate is also an added bonus (can be considered a $25-$50 value) absolutely free when you shop with Ilya Zlobin. A reputable seller would be happy to give a refund or exchange should professional coin grading companies or people such as David R. Sear or NGC find a coin is other than described.
Keep Records
When you buy coins, get the certificates of authenticity keep them in a standard vinyl binder in sheet protectors which you can get an any place they sell office supplies. You can also print out a receipt of the PayPal payment you sent and possibly the contact details of the seller you bought from. I have had personal experience when I purchased a coin from another dealer and since I did not keep the receipt at the time, it left a sour taste in both of our mouths when I had to return the coin, I knowing that I bought it from them and having no proof. So this would facilitate an easy return and refund as you kept a record of the item. This way you can buy from many different dealers, and also remember how much the item cost, should you want to sell it in the future, plus you have the description right there, should you want to place it on eBay or another venue. Another helpful technique is to write a little item number of the coin and write it on the little slip of paper that coin in the coin flip and having a list where you write the number where you kept it. Think also about this, a lot of collectors don’t keep records and if they pass on and nobody in the family ever got involved with the coins, nobody knows how much they paid, so they may not got the price the original collector paid. Something worthwhile to think about. Keeping score is very important.
Keep Your Coin Collection Organized
I recommend keeping your coins in boxes that are of standard size a 2X2 inch standard. The coins themselves I recommend in non-plasticized coin flips, I recommend getting the package with the little papers so that if anything you can write info on those, such as how much you paid or corresponding to your record keeping system. If you want to display your coins, you can put them on a tray and enjoy their beauty. So below are the coin flips, trays and boxes I use everyday for storage and display of my coins:
The Supplies and Links Where to Buy Them
I am sharing everything I know about the supplies, years of experience condensed to a simple guide. Hopefully you can appreciate the tips, many of which even the most advanced collectors and even coin dealers can benefit from.
The Best Coin Collector Magnifier Portable Magnifying Glass
This coin magnifier most people enjoy because it gives you just the right amount magnification to see the coin and easily closes up and folds into your pocket. It’s called the Bausch & Lomb 5X Packette Magnifier Magnifying Glass.
Coin Flips – The Coin Holders
I use both types of coin flips below, with the second one being preferable for silver. Perhaps if you get either one, get the second one. But I am giving you both to chose from.
Non-Plasticized Coin Flips
These double pocket coin flips are available in 1 1/2, 2 x 2 and 2 1/2 inch sizes, some include paper inserts.
Non-Plasticized flips are slightly more rigid than regular vinyl flips. They are considered safe for long term storage of your coins.
THE COIN FLIPS I USE FOR SILVER COINS, as I THINK THEY MAY BE BETTER FOR LONG TERM STORAGE OF THEM, perhaps may be best brand to stick to:
ARCHIVAL SAFE 2×2 DOUBLE POCKET FLIPS
Acids and chemicals have been reduced to a minimum.Good for long term storage. The chemical will not migrate.
http://meghrigsupplies.com/2x2COINFLIPS.html
Display Trays – FOR COIN SHOWS OR EASY DISPLAY AND STORAGE:
Organize and display your coins with our felt coin display trays, designed to be used with our Aluminum coin display case (above) or as a stand alone item. Measures 16 1/8″ x 10½”
Our display trays are available for storing cardboard coin holders in 1½” x 1½” and 2″ x 2″ sizes and for slab coin holders in either a horizontal or vertical arrangement; or a full flat tray to use any way you like!
Plastic Coin Box for 2×2 Coin Flips (Holder)
A plastic coin storage box for 2×2 cardboard or plastic coin holders.
Features:
- Triple Compartment Design
- Blue color
- Made with durable plastic
- Measures 2¼” x 9¼”
SLABBED NGC / PCGS Coin Boxes
When you buy coins that are NGC / PCGS or other certification company certified, you may need the storage boxes for the job. See all of them here: http://www.jpscorner.com/coin-slab-storage-boxes.html 
The type I recommend is this one:
Heavy Duty Cardboard Coin Slab Coin Storage Boxes
The reason being, is that if it’s a plastic one, it has notches, but some ancient coins are thicker than others, so when you have coins of varying thickness, you may want to just put them in these cardboard boxes as it is more flexible for your collection. Don’t let the word cardboard fool you, as these are super high quality and feel good in hand.
ALSO these are good for oversized medals or 2.5 x 2.5 coin flips.
Additional Tip: If you like to put the slab in a bag before putting it in the box, you may want to get the https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZZS63A/ Plymor 3″ x 4″, 4 Mil (Case of 1000) Heavy Duty Plastic Reclosable Zipper Bags . This is the exact size for those slabs.
WHAT I USE TO DO COIN SHOWS (and Could Be Used for Private Viewing Pleasure):
The benefit of the carrying case and trays is that you can lay your coins out for display at a coin show or for your own private viewing pleasure. You can have them in the individual notches with or without the plastic coin flip so that you can have them easily organized and viewable. The older generations of coin collectors would have wood versions of these and would describe them as coin cabinets. I think these are really great and made in Europe, possibly Germany, the clear plastic shroud is removable and can be placed on the table at a coin show very easily, and removed to view coins easily too. The trays stack very well atop each other.
The benefit of these is that you can get these without the case and they easily stack up.
Advanced tip, I have the trays organized in numerical order as I have 20 and put a removable sticker https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00007M5L2/, the Avery Removable Rectangular Labels, 0.31 x 0.5 Inches, White, Pack of 1100 (5412), with the tray number so that after the coin show I can easily put these away. Additional tip is that you can use these removable stickers to attach additional information about the price for example about a coin which you may want to remove later, useful for slabbed coins.
Lighthouse Aluminum Case for up to 10 MB Coin Boxes
Lighthouse Coin Box for up to 20 2×2 Coin Holders
Comes in Red and Black background.
8.5 x 11″ Sheet Protectors To keep Record and COA’s and Other receipts in:
Staples Standard Sheet Protectors, 200/Pack or Staples Heavyweight Presentation Sheet Protectors, 200/Pack
Put these in a binder of your choice and you can be golden. Keeping good records adds to the pleasure of your collection.
Paper I Use That Should Never Yellow for Long-Term Archiving
Sharpie Permanent Marker
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Article by Ilya Zlobin, world-renowned expert numismatist, enthusiast, author and dealer in authentic ancient Greek, ancient Roman, ancient Byzantine coins and beyond, running the eBay store Authentic Ancient Greek Roman Coins.
For more great articles and videos on ancient coins, visit, https://www.trustedancientcoins.com/articles/ or Click here to see all of my EDUCATIONAL COIN VIDEOS
NEWEST 2019 UPDATED VERSION OF VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptwOMfrkh1s
SEE ALSO MY ORIGINAL VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UBgiNLjjoc