How can you keep your rare coins safe if you are a new collector? Let’s consider some of the most common guidelines and a few novel ideas on how to keep a collection clean, shiny and worth its full bullion amount.

For starters, never clean your coins. Coins do get dirty, but the proper way to shine and clean them is through a professional coin cleaner. Otherwise, cleaning or even polishing your coins will damage the metal. Bullion decreases in value when it is handled by human hands or towels. Metal oxidizes naturally, so if you take away the natural toning of a coin, you also remove its luster. Very tiny abrasions are left on the metal and the result is a harsh and duller looking coin.

Avoid touching your coins. Rare coins are meant to be stored and looked at, not touched like an ordinary circulated coin. Uncirculated editions of coins are not meant to be touched; this is why they are stored in special folders. Did you know that touching your collector’s coins with your bare fingers could damage these precious metals in microscopic ways? Touching will leave a mark and, if done so consistently, it will ruin the value of your coin. Your fingers contain oil and even tiny pieces of grit. These stay on the coins after you touch them. Eventually, the coin will become discolored and scratched. Always handle your most valuable coins with latex gloves!

When handling rare coins, do not expose them to any extreme temperatures or conditions. If you store the coins somewhere like the attic or the basement, then you are storing them in an extreme environment, either too hot or too cold. Humidity can also harm a coin, as this causes oxidation. Not only are these conditions harmful to the coin but they can also harm the material used for storage. The best conditions for coins are in a dark and dry environment. It’s even better if you can buy a coin cabinet or a safe.

Although some precious metal collectors store their gold and silver in banks, many are comfortable keeping these coins on-site. Be careful about leaving these coins anywhere where they are visible. The more expensive your rare coins are, the more important it is to store them in a safe place. Most people use safes for this purpose. It is preferable to keep rare coins in safes rather than in U.S.-banks, because in the event of bank bankruptcy or government seizure, you would probably lose your savings.

For more information on coin dealing, talk to a local or online dealer.