Coin cabinet/tray size mystery

[Sosius]

Hello all,

A few years ago I purchased a coin cabinet with 48 trays at an antique auction.  The trays appear to have had inserts, which have since been removed.  I have been looking sporadically online for trays that might fit, and have not found any.  I am contemplating making my own by drilling holes in black plexiglass sheets and lining the bottom of the drawer with non-abrasive cloth.  However, I will probably never get around to actually doing that. 

The inner dimensions of the drawers are as follows:

Width:  9 7/8" or 250mm
Depth: 11 3/4" or 295mm

Does anyone know if there is a commercially-available tray or insert that will fit into these drawers?  Any other thoughts for fitting the trays out would also be appreciated!

Regards,
Cliff

[Andrew McCabe]

Hello all,

A few years ago I purchased a coin cabinet with 48 trays at an antique auction.  The trays appear to have had inserts, which have since been removed.  I have been looking sporadically online for trays that might fit, and have not found any.  I am contemplating making my own by drilling holes in black plexiglass sheets and lining the bottom of the drawer with non-abrasive cloth.  However, I will probably never get around to actually doing that.  

The inner dimensions of the drawers are as follows:

Width:  9 7/8" or 250mm
Depth: 11 3/4" or 295mm

Does anyone know if there is a commercially-available tray or insert that will fit into these drawers?  Any other thoughts for fitting the trays out would also be appreciated!

Regards,
Cliff

How deep is the recess? I ask this because the standard museum / archival method of storing coins is in individual plastic shallow boxes that sit loose in a recessed tray such as this (although the trays may be metal). The reasons museums do this is two-fold, firstly it allows the coin to be removed from the tray without handling it, and secondly the coin it retained with its documents right until the moment you need to examine it in hand. So you might want to consider buying coin holders such as lighthouses or quadrams, and fitting out the trays with them. A whole lot less work and expense than your potential solution. The museum trays I've seen are open at top, small square plastic boxes, not sure where they come from.

[Sosius]

Thanks for the reply, Andrew. The recesses are about 1 centimeter. I probably should get some nice trays like the ones you have pictured in the past, but I just like the cabinet. Right now it is serving as a DVR stand and looks quite nice in the living room. Maybe that'll have to be its fate.

[Andrew McCabe]

Thanks for the reply, Andrew. The recesses are about 1 centimeter. I probably should get some nice trays like the ones you have pictured in the past, but I just like the cabinet. Right now it is serving as a DVR stand and looks quite nice in the living room. Maybe that'll have to be its fate.

If it is 1cm, then Abafil trays (those nice ones I pictured) or other relatively slim trays should fit within your quite deep trays. But you would be advised to check.

[Sosius]

Thanks Andrew.  I looked at some Abafil trays online, and they are either too big or too small (length and/or width).  I would either have to cut the trays to fit, which would not be ideal, or use the smaller size, which would only fill about 1/2 of the surface area of the drawers.  I assume there were once some trays that fit inside the drawers.  If my only option option is to have trays made, then I might just abandon the fine old cabinet and buy one of the available commercial systems. 

Pictures of the cabinet are included, in case seeing it makes anyone think of a tray that might fit.

Cliff

[Molinari]

Hello all,

A few years ago I purchased a coin cabinet with 48 trays at an antique auction.  The trays appear to have had inserts, which have since been removed.  I have been looking sporadically online for trays that might fit, and have not found any.  I am contemplating making my own by drilling holes in black plexiglass sheets and lining the bottom of the drawer with non-abrasive cloth.  However, I will probably never get around to actually doing that.  

The inner dimensions of the drawers are as follows:

Width:  9 7/8" or 250mm
Depth: 11 3/4" or 295mm

Does anyone know if there is a commercially-available tray or insert that will fit into these drawers?  Any other thoughts for fitting the trays out would also be appreciated!

Regards,
Cliff

How deep is the recess? I ask this because the standard museum / archival method of storing coins is in individual plastic shallow boxes that sit loose in a recessed tray such as this (although the trays may be metal). The reasons museums do this is two-fold, firstly it allows the coin to be removed from the tray without handling it, and secondly the coin it retained with its documents right until the moment you need to examine it in hand. So you might want to consider buying coin holders such as lighthouses or quadrams, and fitting out the trays with them. A whole lot less work and expense than your potential solution. The museum trays I've seen are open at top, small square plastic boxes, not sure where they come from.

Most library supply companies will have these.  Gaylord and Highsmith are two that I use frequently.  If you ask, they'll send you a catalogue.

Nick

[Sosius]

Thanks, Nick.  I'll check out those companies.

Cliff