I am thinking of getting some libertads, but I think they just come in a brown wrap, so what tubes would fit them best? ASE tubes? and if so, where can I get some in UK / Europe?
I was thinking of stocking some different size tubes but didn't think it would be worth it. Do many buy the tubes separately.
ASE tubes have the required dimensions. The 1ouncers I bought last year were packaged in some silverish hardboard with taped plastic ends. Tubes are just too expensive (at least in my EU region) when buying them separately. A hefty price tag for just some plastic. Storing them in any material that doesn't screw the silver someway, is more cost efficient. Sometimes you can find 2ndhand/garbage plastic stuff that is usable. For ex I stored some junk in cleaned pill boxes. Most of it sits in airtight-closed icecream boxes. Only the more expensive brands have those though so you need to like, or know some1 that likes, expensive icecream
Yea they do seem expensive, the ASE tubes themselves are $2.50 on eBay. But shipped from US. 1 tube costs $8.05 shipping. Would have to buy 10 to make it more cost effective. Then shipping is $20.10. So would work out at $4.51 a tube. So I don't think it is that expensive. I prefer my silver kept nice. And these square tubes would make for nice stacking. Taking the cost of tubes into account would work out pretty much the same price per oz for me to buy 10oz Kookaburra or Lunars Horses. So contemplating what to do. I already have some 10oz kooks & Lunars. But I don't have a single libertad yet and they do look nice.
Do you know if there is any gap between the edges? Do the libertads have a larger/smaller diameter than ASE's or are the coins the same size?
I don't have them handy but they are slightly smaller, an ASE is 41 mm so I think it's 40 mm. What do you mean with a gap between the edges?
Thanks. Sorry if I wasn't clear, I meant the gap between the circumference of the coin and the inner circumference of the tube. Wondering if the libertads rattle around in the tubes too much, or if they pretty much fit as if ASE's would fit in the tubes.
Capsules add too much per coin. Much more economical to just use a tube, rather than capsule then tube.
Look at the links, they mention tubes if you dig a little. Airtites is one. You can also buy in packs/bulk. If you are that concerned about prices, why not use cardboard tubes from foil and cling wrap or toilet paper tubes.
A method against 'rattling' is a slice 'stiff' plastic, I used for the junk transparent plastic cover sheets of some school maps, the diameter difference was 2 mm and I calculated the circumference, and cut out twice the length, then folded it together in a roll I placed over the coins, then the tube over it.
If you buy a roll of Libertads i.e. 20 coins they come wrapped in a silver coloured toilet roll inner tube with thin clear plastic top and bottom sealed by the turned over cardboard tube. I always discard this straight away. Look up the dimensions of the coin and check out Air-tites website for the correct size available then shop around for Air-tites or Lighthouse capsules. You can buy small quantites from several eBay suppliers in the UK. Cheaper capsules tend to be advertised on eBay USA and my last order for about 300 worked out remarkably cheap per unit including the expensive shipping. Unfortunately I cannot recall the origin but suppliers are out there. I also found clear capsule tubes that hold about 25 capsules, keeping them together for storage. These are very thin and had a red cap. I may have seen them advertised on Atkinsons. Sorry I cannot give specifics as it was some while ago.
Yea I have some red lid tubes from air tites for some Perth mint coins I have, but the shipping cost of those was extremely expensive and for libertads I would also have to buy capsules which adds a lot per coin. I am going to check out Atkinsons and see if they have ASE tubes.
There was a Libertad size change in 2000. Pre-Y2K Libertads fit into RCM Maple tubes. Y2K and later Libertads fit into ASE tubes and most "medallion" size aftermarket tubes (CoinSafe, Numis, etc).
