Storage Caution

[lucky2]

I purchased a Mint sewn bag of Lincolns a while back. I opened the bag and searched a dozen or so rolls and found nothing so I stored the ballance of the coins for later. Useing gloves the whole time I have never touched these coins but running out of coin tubes at the time I had a bright idea. Having stored BU coins in all sorts of glass bottles I decided to fill a rare Jack Daniels bottle I had. It would make a great book end. A word of advice, Do Not Do This. I am not sure why, maybe I did not wash it out well enough, maybe its the glass but after 6 months I noticed that all the coins are turning black. I have ruined 3 fourths of a mint sewn bag of Lincolns.
I guess its not a total loss, I could use it to go buy another bottle of JB and cry a lot.~lucky2

[Bob P]

That is hard luck Robert. As far as why the coins turned black, I would think there has to be some moisture left in the bottle when you sealed it. Either that, or light may be a culprit.
Maybe you can make some money by selling them on ebay as 'Original Jack Daniels Cents...from a rare bottle' (only kidding folks!)
Robert's misfortune is definitely an education for the rest of us. Although we may not know why this happened exactly, it may result in someone not making the same mistake.
For storage of coins like this, and if you don't have tubes, it never hurts to keep them in a canvas bag if you have them. I have never had a problem going to my local bank and asking for bags. Maybe your bank can do the same for you??

[lucky2]

Bob
I have stored BU coins in Jelly jars, milk bottles and all sorts of glass wear and never had a problem with it before. I have seen people purchase large fancy jars filled them with BU Cents and used them for book ends. I know personally of one man that has over 20 of them with a bag full in each jar and never a prblem. Its impressive.~lucky2

[coop]

Maybe a residue from the Whiskey. Try putting one BU common cent into a tube and ad a touch of whickey and see if that is the culprit. It could just be the fumes from off the glass. Never can tell for sure when your dealin' with sour mash. Or try coating one cent with whiskey and put it is a 2X2 and then give it time to see what happens. I always wanted to try different things on my hands and fingerprint a few marked 2X2's to see if I could nail own what causes the finger prints that ruin coins. Probably animal grease, but would like to know for sure.

[Bob P]

I certainly agree with your rationale Robert. I have kept coins in jars for years as well. I think Coop may have a point that maybe it was fumes, or maybe there was some moisture. Have you attempted to clean any of them to see if it comes off easilly??

[coop]

Somthing interesting about glass. Do you know they only cut new glass? Why? Because the molecules in glass tends to move. When it is new you can cut it easily. When it is stood upright for a length of time the tend to move and you can not cut it easily as it tend just to break. You can take glass that has been vertical for a very long time, let say 100 years and measure the top and the bottom. The top will be thinner and the bottom wider as the molecules travel, even on a solid thing like glass. Maybe the whiskey fumes have been trapped inside the glass and this reacts when you put coins inside. Try it again with several rinses and a sufficent time to dry and see if the same reaction happens again. I would use a roll of new Cents to see if anything happens. Something you figured that they should go back to work type of BU coins. Keep us posted. Interesting

[rollmeupabe]

Lucky, on the positive side, if you drink the whiskey just before putting the pennies in they will all look doubled.

[coop]

But if you drink the whole bottle you may not be able to see any coins starring at the ceiling. But I guess you can view such a position in a positive way. Everything is looking UP from there.