Many people take up coin collecting as a way to pass the time. Others get into it to build a financial portfolio for the future and invest in something fun and worthwhile. Whatever your reason for getting into coin collecting, you want to protect your investment as much as possible. Because of this, it is crucial that you don't end up making a mistake that could damage the coin and cost you a lot of money in the end. Here are a few things you need to know about things that will destroy your coins.
Touching them.
Many people never really stop and think about the damage that can be done just from touching their coins. This is even truer for higher grade coins. Just letting your fingers touch the coins can cause them to become discolored and scratched. Your fingers contain a number of different oils and even tiny pieces of grit that you might not be able to see. The best option when handling coins is to wear latex gloves and only touch the coins along the edge.
Spitting on them.
Don't have your coins exposed when you are talking about them. Tiny bits of saliva can easily escape from your mouth whenever you are talking. All of that spit can cause discoloration and unsightly spotting that isn't exactly easy to get rid of. Many of the mint coins and uncirculated coins ended up getting destroyed in this manner. You can say as much as you want about your collection, but you want to make sure that your coins are out of sight during this time.
Exposing coins to acid.
Coins should never be stored in envelopes or paper. In doing so, you will end up damaging them. As those materials end up breaking down, it releases chemicals all around your coins. This can cause them to become spotted, discolored and even oxidized. What used to be a mint surface is now completely destroyed. Only purchase an acid-free paper to store your coins in. This will save you a lot of stress down the road when you go to take them out and sell them.
Coin collecting can be fun and exciting. However, you do need to take a few precautions to make sure you don't do something silly that could end up destroying everything that you worked hard to achieve. For more information on your coins, you can always speak to a coin dealer (like American Precious Metals Inc).
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