Two categories of threat degrade coins over time: environmental agents (humidity, temperature, light, pollutants, PVC) and physical agents (handling, contact, improper holders, cleaning). Most damage from either category is irreversible.

Material chemistry is the first defense. Inert plastics — Mylar, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene — don't react with coin metal. Reactive materials — PVC, acidic paper, rubber — will degrade your collection within a decade. The two lists below are not equally weighted: the "avoid" column is more important than the "use" column, because the wrong material does active harm.

Three storage modes, each with its own conventions. Individual coins go in flips or capsules; sets stay in original Mint packaging or move to archival albums; the storage environment itself needs climate control regardless of how each coin is contained.

Every touch increases risk. The handling discipline below is universal — applies whether you're examining a 1892 Pond worth $30,000 or a current-year R5 worth face value. Build the habits early and they apply automatically to anything you ever acquire.

• Never touch the surface — hold by the edges only.
• Use cotton gloves for valuable coins — skin oils transfer onto metal and react chemically over time.
• Work over a soft surface — a velvet pad or folded towel. One drop onto a hard surface can damage a coin permanently.
• Minimize handling — every touch increases risk. If you don't need to handle the coin, don't.
• Set down on soft, clean surfaces only — no bare wood, no glass tabletops.

— For colour coins · The exception to "examine your coins" — Never remove a colour coin from its original capsule. The colour layer is extremely fragile and can be damaged by handling that would be harmless on a standard proof. The capsule stays sealed.

Storage is one discipline; display is another. The five options below balance visibility against preservation — the more visible a coin is, the more exposure it has to light, dust, and ambient pollutants. Rotation is the standard professional solution: limited display periods, then back into archival storage.

• Encapsulated display — coins in NGC or PCGS slabs can be displayed safely.
• Airtight display cases — custom cases with desiccant compartments.
• Display trays — velvet-lined, coins remaining in capsules.
• Wall display — UV-protective glass mandatory. Avoid direct sunlight.
• Rotation strategy — display for limited periods, return to archival storage between.

The SA Mint's Flora & Fauna Colour Series (2018 – 2023), Mandela Life of a Legend (some issues), and other modern colour coinage demand exceptional preservation discipline. The applied colour layer is more vulnerable than the underlying metal to light, abrasion, and solvents — and unlike toning on a silver coin, faded colour does not return.

— Five rules · For colour coin preservation —

Colour coin care

The five rules below override anything contradictory elsewhere on this page. If a colour coin needs different handling than a standard proof, the colour coin's rules win. See the Flora & Fauna Colour Series page for the technical specifics of how SA Mint applied colour is produced.

• UV light fades colour — keep in dark storage.
• Abrasion can remove colour permanently — no handling.
• Never clean with solvents — any solvent attacks the pigment.
• Keep in original capsule — see the handling callout above.
• Monitor periodically — check for changes in colour intensity over time.

— Reference works for this page —

• PCGS. The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection — storage chapters.
• NGC. "How to Store Your Coins" series — online conservation guidance.
• American Numismatic Association. "Caring for Your Collection" — the ANA's foundational conservation reference.