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Ideas for Displaying a Coin Collection

Coins tell a story from the era they were made, such as the languages that were spoken at the time of their minting; the metals that countries deemed valuable; and the people that were important enough to display on a coin. Two coin organizations emerged in the 1800s, the American Numismatic Society and the American Numismatic Association, both nonprofit organizations dedicated to the study and preservation of coins. Rather than keeping your coin collection in a dusty box in the basement, utilize one of many options for displaying your collection.

Albums and Binders
- Consider displaying coin collections in leather or vinyl coin albums. Coin albums possibilities include those with gold-embossed leatherette covers, and albums differ according to type of coin. Albums include those for Lincoln pennies for certain years as well as Indian pennies, buffalo nickels and Liberty dimes. Other album options feature grained leatherette covers for a variety of coins including Barber or state quarters and Kennedy half-dollars. Binders featuring plastic waterproof sheets are optimal for large collections. Vinyl coin wallets are ideal when your collection must travel with you.
Slabs and Cases
- A buffalo nickel.
  
  Coin slabs are an option when you want to display a singular coin of value. Some slabs are acrylic, air-tight cases with white or dark green inserts. Slabs are resealable and reusable. Use frosted cases for displaying special coins that feature different backgrounds such as images of Abraham Lincoln for penny displays, engravings of Mount Rushmore for presidential dollars and buffalo images for buffalo nickels. Frosted cases come in one-hole types for displaying a single coin or multiple coin holes for multiple coin displays. Larger wooden cases that hold significant numbers of coins are also available.
Boxes
- Use display boxes for rare or otherwise valuable coins. Such boxes, often made of oak, typically feature a magnetic-closing mechanism to protect the coin when not in use. They also usually contain velvet or a similar material insert as well as small, felt-tipped "feet" on the bottom. Coin boxes for two, five, seven and even 50 coins are available though various coin collection websites.
Other Options
- Numerous additional options exist for displaying your coin collection, including glass and wooden domes for displaying a single coin as well as air-tight coin holders, or small flat frames only slightly larger than the coin it contains. Coin folders are a standard of coin collection and display and generally come in sturdy cardboard with a number of spaces for displaying coins. Folders close easily and slide into any bookshelf when not in use. You can even utilize zip-lock bags for coin display when traveling or in the beginning stages of your collection.

Coin Collecting