Air-Tite Holders, Inc. is a family owned and operated business that has been in existence for over 32 years. The inventor and founder of the company, Norman W. Therrien, had a vision that would change coin collecting in a remarkable way. His mission was “to provide a practical solution to an age old problem.” Solving this problem entailed coming up with a method for the systematic protection for as many of the diverse sizes of world coins and medallions as possible. The cost of producing a specific holder for every size coin minted made this an impractical enterprise. Most manufacturers only create holders for the most common coins, leaving a deficiency in providing adequate protection and safety for all the other sizes. Therrien’s answer was to produce a small selection of holders that could hold many different sizes. He accomplished this by using the ring system, designed to fit into six standard sized coin holders. This system allowed every coin minted in the U.S. and almost the all coins and medallions from around the globe to be stored in these holders.
This was the genesis of Air-Tite Holders as it operates to this day. All sorts of new innovations for coin displays have been created these past decades, but the holders and rings have remained unchanged since the business started back in 1980. Air-Tite Holders are injection molded, using a virgin acrylic plastic containing a non-yellowing agent to preserve the clarity of the holders. The white or black ring/spacer component is fabricated from a cross-linked polyethylene. The components used in the holders and rings are completely inert and PVC-free materials. Coin dealers, supply companies, government and private mints, marketing firms and collectors from all over the globe have been using Air-Tite products for decades. The company takes great pride in manufacturing one of the finest coin holders and display products on the market. Whether you are a collector of U.S., world or ancient coins, or commemoratives, Air-Tite Holders has the perfect answer for every coin protection or display requirements.
Air-Tite Coin Holders – Defined
There are two types or styles of Air-Tite Holders, Air-Tite Holders with Rings or the Air-Tite Direct Fit capsule. The Air-Tite coin holder is a two-piece snap together acrylic case comprised of a cover and a base to fully encase a single coin.
Air-Tite Holders with Rings are capsules that include a soft die-cut polyethylene ring to fit around the coin. The ring serves to secure the coin in place, creating a perfect barrier against all types of contamination. The rings can be purchased as part of a capsule set in either black or white, and are available in sizes ranging from 10mm to 50.8mm.
Air-Tite Direct Fit capsules are formed to contain a specific mint condition coin. The coin will fit tightly into the holder without requiring a supplemental sizing ring. Direct Fit capsules are manufactured exclusively for the most popular coins.
While you might be somewhat acquainted with Air-Tites Holders but have not yet used or purchased these amazing products, you might be a bit confused by the many sizes and types. Determining which style best suits your collecting needs will certainly depend on what your goals might be, and what you are setting out to accomplish. If you want to enclose a coin with minimal distraction, and using only the black or white outside ring, the Direct Fit coin holder might be best. Bear in mind that your less-than-mint-condition coins with a bit of wear on the rims could rattle using these holders. Otherwise, it is recommended that you use the Air-Tite coin holder with Rings to keep movement within the holder to a minimum.
AIR-TITE HOLDERS WITH RINGS MODELS AND SIZES
The Air-Tite holder with rings system is comprised six plastic capsule models – A, T, H, I, X and Y – and each model holds a variety of ring sizes. The outside diameter of the rings for a particular model are all the same size, and fit to the inside diameter of the plastic case. It is the inside die cut of each ring that separates one size holder from the next. It is the ring that holds the coin and it is the combination of the ring and the coin that fills the space of the capsule.
By Model (Ring Fit)
Tip: Ring Fit holders are designed with an extra foam ring for sizing flexibility
AIR-TITE DIRECT FIT HOLDERS MODELS AND SIZES
Direct Fit holders are designed around the same concept as the holders with rings. There are seven models, however instead of sizing rings, each model has several sub-models that are formed to perfectly fit a specific mint condition coin. The ordering number for the type of Direct Fit required is a combination of the model and size. For example, A16 is model A in 16mm. Further study will show that an Air-Tite Direct Fit US Half Dollar is a model T, therefore you would require an Air-Tite item T30 to enclose your coin. If you were to search websites for an Air-Tite 30mm, you would find a black and a white holder with rings, along with the T30 direct fit from which to make your decision. Direct Fit holders have also been sized to hold silver bars and other rounds.
By Model (Direct Fit)
Tip: Direct Fit holders are designed for specific coins
The best way to pick the right Air Tite is to match the Air Tite inside diameter against the diameter of your coin. If you are still unsure which Air Tite holder to purchase, you can review the grids above and/or reach out to us for more details.
