Without a doubt, collecting paper currency is more rewarding and captivating – especially from the historical point of view – compared to coins. However, most numismatics prefer metal over paper currency for a good reason, namely that storing and preserving paper is a lot more difficult. Similar to most items made of paper, this type of currency is more prone to damage from the elements.In fact, even the smallest trace of humidity is enough to damage old paper cash beyond recovery. While surely difficult, preserving a paper currency collection is not impossible, as you are about to find out.

1. Make sure you store them in cool and dry area

Since paper currency is very vulnerable to humidity and heat, storing your collection in an attic with extreme temperatures all year long or in a damp basement are out of the question. The optimal place to store a paper collection is an area where the humidity is between 45%-55%, while the temperatures are constantly between 68 and 75F.

2. Be certain to display your collection in a damp-free location

The arch nemeses of paper currency are heat, light and moisture, all of which are commonly present in expositions and exhibiting areas. While they need some time to cause damage to the paper, it is necessary to mention that they act directly on the ink and the more you expose your paper currency to them, the more the pictures will fade away. If you want to display your collection, make sure to use a halogen light bulb purposes.

3. Always wear gloves while handling the coins

Because paper is considerably more sensitive than metal, it is better to wear nitrile or soft cotton gloves when handling the bills. Even if you wash your hands thoroughly before touching your specimens, there is a good chance of transferring oils directly onto the paper currency and hence, causing a permanent stain. In general, collectors only handle them when it’s absolutely necessary and usually use a pair of studded tweezers to limit the contamination as much as possible.

4. Use sleeves and pages made of archival-grade materials

Pages, sleeves or sheets made of archival-grade materials are crucial to keeping your paper currency collection free of debris, grime, dirt and humidity resulted from either manipulating them or the environment. To put it simply, you should invest in top of the line protectors that don’t contain PVC or acids, but rather a mix of mylar-polyester materials or else your currency is bound to suffer irreparable damage. Moreover, to further protect the currency, you could also use dehumidifiers or silica gels, depending on the actual size of your storing container and area.

5. Don’t hesitate to get professional help

In the event that you observe any type of damage, regardless of how small, it is best to employ professional help and refrain from “fixing” the paper currency yourself. More often than not, the attempts of cleaning or repairing a specimen performed by an untrained or unskilled person have a high chance of causing more harm than good. Even if you manage to “repair” the damage somehow, don’t forget that these fixes affect the value of the paper currency directly. If you need more information, look right over here.