3 Tips To Avoid Damaging Your Coins
Many people get into coin collecting as a way to pass the time and help build a solid investment for the future. While coin collecting can be fun and exciting, you also want to make sure you don't end up doing something that is going to ruin your coins and cost you on your investment. To make sure that your coins are still going to be worth something down the road, here are three tips to help you avoid damaging your coins.
Refrain from touching them with your bare hands.
Even though you might want to touch your coins, you shouldn't. Your hands are loaded with oils and miniscule particles that can all destroy the finish on your coins. You might not be able to see the contaminants on your hands, but they are there. If you do have to touch your coins for whatever reason, you need to make sure you wear some form of a glove before doing so. The glove will prevent your hands from being able to spread their natural oils all over the coin. This will protect your investment for the present and the future.
Avoid trying to clean them.
If your coins look dirty, it makes sense that you would probably try to clean them and get them looking their best. However, that isn't exactly the best thing for you to do. Coins should never be cleaned except by a professional coin dealer. There are a lot of specifics that come into play to make sure your coins are in good condition. Using a harsh cleaning agent on your coin could end up destroying the finish and costing you dearly in the amount of money your coin could have been worth.
Make sure you store them properly.
Coins also have to be stored properly. You can't just put them in your attic or basement and go back to them years down the road. They need to be in a climate controlled environment where all of the excess humidity and moisture isn't going to get to them. Humidity can end up causing your coins to oxidize, thus ruining their finish and destroying your investment. You are better off keeping them in the main part of your home where the temperature and humidity levels are more stable.
By not doing one of the three things above, you can protect your investment and make sure you get what you desire back out of your coins. For more tips, talk to a local coin dealer.