Type of wood for coin cabinet

[Bill W4]

I've recently moved my collection from flips to trays which is a big improvement; I enjoy them much more.  Now I want a cabinet and as fate would have it, my brother is a cabinet maker.  From comments on Forum I've gathered that mahogany is the way to go but I'm wondering what would be wrong with walnut, cherry or maple.  From what I've seen oak is a definite no, though I don't understand why.  If anyone could enlighten me I would appreciate it very much.  Also, does it matter what sort of finish is used on the wood?  Thanks, Bill

[areich]

I would like to know this as well, I've never read anything more substantial than "woods [other than mahogany] can have detrimental effects on coins stored in them".

[Bill W4]

We"re in the same boat then;  thanks, Bill

[cmcdon0923]

Mahogany has been the wood of choice for cabinets for centuries due to its stability and lack of "outgassing".  In addition, it finishes beautifully and is relatively easy to work with.

There are a few other woods that I have heard are also suitable for longterm storage of coins, etc., such as walnut, cherry, and rosewood.  I have never used any of these so I am simply repeating what I've heard.

Oak is considered not suitable due to the tannins and other elements it contains which can "outgas" and deposit themselves on the items' surfaces.  Similarly, any woods in the pine family should be avoided at all costs.

As for finishes, I personally don't use anything other than a water based polycrylic sealer.  Mahogany is, IMO, far too beautiful a wood on which to use any type of dye or stain.



Craig

CabinetsByCraig.net

[Bill W4]

Thanks Craig;  understand the tannin thing with oak though it helps to make a nice wine.  I'm going to assume other hardwoods are find for coins.  Will see what happens.   Bill

[areich]

What exactly do these gasses do? If they turn my silvers darker, that's fine and something I pay premiums for in auctions. When you already have some sort of cabinet it doesn't matter how hard or easy it was to build it. The problem is that you can't really spend 5-10 years testing it.

[cmcdon0923]

Again, going from what I've heard, woods like oak can could cause an unatractive dark "patina" to form, and can actually result in deposits on the coin's surfaces.  I would imagine that pine-type woods could do the same.

I do not know if these deposits can actually harm the coin (e.g., corrode the surface).

I have mint red copper tokens sitting in mahogany trays (but not inside a cabinet) that I built over 20 years ago which, other than a bit of natural mellowing of the red, are essentially the same as they were the day I placed them in the trays.

[Bill W4]

I've been looking into woods and talked with my brother the cabinet maker.  He says oak, especially american oaks will give off tannic gas which will attack silver and bronze coins.  According to him, walnut could do the same.  Maple is apparently a good substitute for mahogeny and is way cheaper.  Cherry would be the next choice though he was a bit uncertain of it for coins.  At least he'll give me a good deal, the rest of you are on  your own.  He will study the matter further.  I'll report his findings.  We study coins; he does wood.

[SC]

With some wood it is not just quickened toning - which some might treat as a benefit - that is the problem.

I have a 5' tall wooden cabinet with seven drawers, each with a glass front.  I bought it at the Bombay Company years ago.  I think it was called a "haberdashers cabinet".  I don't know what kind of wood it is made of, but for the price it is definitely not mahogany, oak or cherry.

I used it to store antiquities, mainly fibulae but also Roman belt fittings and harness pendants.   All mostly bronze.  After a few years I noticed, to my horror that it was aiding and abetting the formation of bronze disease and/or degradation of patina.   

I have now removed all bronze items, some of which required cleaning and some of which have poorer patinas as a result.

I still use it to store objects made of iron, lead, stone and ceramics and have seen no detrimental effects on any of these.

I don't know if it is the wood, or the glues used in the fabrication of the cabinet, but something was bad with a capital B for the bronze.  My guess is that what was being released contained, at least in part, a sulphur compound but I am not sure.

Shawn