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The on-line version of the newsletter as presented here is but a fraction of the information contained in the twice-yearly version that members recieve.

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The Attic & the Archives

Storing Silver Artifacts

The most common items in many family heirloom collections are pieces of silver, collected over the years. The Manitoba Heritage Conservation Service suggests the following tips for protecting your silver pieces.

Tarnish can be a protective, if unsightly, layer on silver. It is advisable not to polish silver artifacts that will remain in storage for a long period of time. Polish these artifacts only when they will be displayed.

SILVER CUTLERY

Wrap each individual pattern piece in unbuffered acid-free tissue paper.

Store wrapped pattern collections on an assortment of single pieces in a polyester roasting bag ( Look!, Ziploc or Glad brands).

List the contents and mark the catalogue numbers on a paper tag and attach it to each bag.

SILVER OBJECTS

Artifacts such as candlesticks can also be stored using the above method. The only limitation is the size of the largest bag.

DO NOT use plastic kitchen wrap.

SILVER COINS/TOKENS

Coins and tokens should NEVER be polished or handled without gloves. Such actions lead to devaluation.

Wearing gloves, remove coins from any mounts or cases in which they may have been received. Retain the mounts, label them appropriately with the catalogue numbers and store separately.

Coins and tokens should be stored in ready-made, inexpensive Mylar and cardboard mounts that can be purchased from numismatic of department stores. Ensure that the mounts are of proper size for each coin or token.

The mounted coins or tokens can then be inserted into polyethylene slide holders or slide holders marked "archivally safe" such as Print File and kept securely in a three-ring binder.