I've never once gotten a tube of coins (American Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leaves, generic rounds, etc) that didn't rattle around in their tube. You'd think by now that mints would pack them in there tight with some paper towel or a packing peanut in the top of the tube to keep the coins from moving and causing scratches. Is there any mint that does this consistently?
They are Bullion coins minted by the millions per year so no need to handle them with kid gloves, who cares if they get scratched? well not the mint because they need to sell proofs.
Still, it's always preferable to get something in perfect condition. I'm more concerned about the noise it makes when being handled by post staff.
Packaging needs to compensate for possible heat expansion of the metal inside. If it is for example in a hot part of the shipping container and there is not enough room inside the tube for the warm metal to expand the plastic case could crack. MY best attempt to justify.
Its called ganz packaging and if you ever find yourself in the middle of a Brazilian Samba face-off you whip out the tube and get down with a phat Samba beat. The concept is demonstrated here by George Bush in the now classic 2007 Samba battle to advance freedom, prosperity, and justice in Brazil. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blITr8n56BY[/youtube] And some instruction: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_lLvwFnTpk[/youtube] This here is clearly a tube of 1 ouncers:
I have received tubes with something like popcorn packing between the coins and tube cap that held the coins firm and allowed for "expansion if that is a problem" or banging around during shipment.
