Just read a news article that caught my attention in the current issue of Numismatic News (September 21, page 36) that I thought I would pass along to readers of this message board.

"Professional Coin Grading Service said it will no longer take responsibility for scratch damage to coins submitted in PVC flips.

After a decade of study into the cause of why some Morgan dollars, Peace dollars and $20 gold Liberties graded by PCGS shared a light scratch running verically down the center of the coins' obverses, testing by Berkeley Engineering and Research with an electron microscope found that small particulate matter embedded in the PVC flips were causing the scratches as the coins were slid over the flips' surfaces.

The particles ranged from 5 to 15 microns and included silicon, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, calcium, iron and zinc.

PCGS estimated that only about one coin in 100,000 submitted showed damage from the flips, but that it was enough to cause concern.

PCGS spokesman Michael Sherman said that the "smoking gun" was finally pinpointed when a 1922-d Peace dollar drastically changed condition when two verteran graders examined it just minutes apart. The first grader labeled it MS-64, but the next grader gave it an MS-61 because of a scratch on Liberty's cheek. The first grader did not notice a scratch.

In a news release, PCGS said it does not recommend continued use of PVC flips, and while Mylar flips are also found to contain particulate matter, the amount was much less. PCGS said if collectors still use PVC fliips, they must take care to "cup" the flip as they insert or remove coins without sliding them over the surface.

The coins at greatest risk are large heavy coins, with half dollars at smaller risk. Quarter size and smaller coins carry virtually no risk."

I think that silver strikes ought to be protected in the inert plastic capsules they are originally packaged in. I know that some strikers have been storing silver strikes in coins albums which have sliding plastic strips to keep them in the album holes. I think that similar damage, like that described above, may result with continued use of these type albums for heavy silver strikes.

What are your thoughts???