Coin folders and albums provide a convenient way for you to house and protect your coin collection while allowing you to display them for your friends or your enjoyment. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages.

Coin Folders
One of the easiest and least expensive ways to protect and organize your coin collection is to use cardboard coin folders. This option provides beginning collectors an inexpensive way to get started in coin collecting. Their simple design and easy to follow layout provide a clear path for the beginning collector to chart their coin collecting journey.

Unfortunately, the design of these coin folders only allows one side of the coin to be viewed. Additionally, the coin is exposed to the atmosphere and possible fingerprint damage from people touching your coins.

Coin Album
Coin albums provide similar storage capability as coin folders, and they allow you to organize and protect your coin collection at the same time. First of all, they allow you to view both sides of the coin while they are housed in the album. Secondly, there is a plastic insert that covers both sides of the coin that protects them from fingerprints and accidental damage.

However, coin albums also have the same disadvantage of coin folders. For example, if the material that the album is made out of contains some trace amounts of sulfur or acids, these can leach out of the album page and cause damage to your coin.

Each style has advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage that either one of these storage solutions has over coin holders is their compact size and ability to store a large number of coins in one album or folder.

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