Keeping coins away from your little brother—or sister—is a good idea.  But storing them outside in a tree house isn't.  Sharp changes in temperature and moisture can cause tarnish and spots.

You'll want a ruler to measure your coins, but it should be made of plastic.  A metal ruler can scratch your coins!

While some plastic flips are okay, you want to avoid the soft ones.  The PVC that makes the plastic soft also causes green slime.

A computer can help you keep track of your collection.  But using a spreadsheet program to add up denominations isn't that useful.  You'd be better off with a coin program that lets you store notes about your collection.

[return] to Case 5: Detecting Who's Collecting