A coin has two faces and an edge, and a stamp is a small sheet of thin paper. We frame coins in wells and stamps and banknotes in clear corners, with no glue on any item.
We frame coins, stamps, banknotes and collector sets at 1242 Davie Street. Collectors judge these items by their condition, so the frame follows three rules: nothing sticks to the item, nothing scratches it, and it comes out in the state it went in. We frame the items, and a coin or stamp dealer values them.
Coins
A coin rests in a well, a round hole cut to its diameter in a sheet of acid-free board. The board is as thick as the coin or thicker, so the edge of the coin is surrounded and its face lies level with the board or below it. A backing board closes the well from behind. The glazing, the sheet of glass or acrylic at the front of the frame, closes it from the front, with a small gap so it does not press on the coin. No glue, wax or putty holds the coin.
A frame shows one face. For a coin where both faces matter, bring two examples and show one of each, or ask us at the counter about a frame glazed on both sides. A coin in a sealed capsule or a graded holder is framed in that holder, in a larger recess cut to its outline. A medal on a ribbon is covered under medal framing.
Stamps
A stamp is a small sheet of thin paper with gum on the back. Moisture and adhesive both damage it. A stamp is held in a clear mount, a small sleeve of archival film that is open on one side, and the sleeve is fixed to the board. The stamp touches only the film. Archival means the film is made to stay stable and add nothing to the paper. A full sheet or a block of stamps is held in a larger sleeve, or by clear corners. An envelope with its stamp and postmark, which collectors call a cover, is held by clear corners.
Banknotes
A banknote is held by clear archival corners, small pockets that grip each corner and are fixed to the backing board, or it rests whole in a clear sleeve. No tape or hinge is put on the note. A note is framed flat and unfolded. A crease from a wallet stays visible, and pressing or ironing a note changes it, so leave the note as it is.
Board, light and air
The boards are acid-free, made so they stay free of the acid that browns paper. This matters for stamps and notes, and for coins as well, because some coin metals change colour against ordinary card. We recommend UV glazing, which filters ultraviolet light, the part of daylight that fades ink fastest. Stamp inks and banknote inks both fade. Hang the frame in a dry room, away from direct sun. Our guides to UV glass and glazing and acid-free mats and backing explain both materials.
Colour on board is protected by the same two things: acid-free board and UV glazing. Silent Guardian, a coloured pencil drawing on artboard of a grey and white bird of prey seen close, 30 by 40 cm, is one of the originals in our gallery.
You may add to a set, swap an item or sell one. Tell us at the start, and ask us at the counter for a back that can be opened and closed again. Each item lifts out of its well, sleeve or corners. Hold a coin by its edge or wear cotton gloves when you handle it.
Layout and cost
A set can be arranged by year, by country or by series. Ask us at the counter about labels under the items. Each well and opening is measured and cut for one item, so a set of thirty coins takes more labour than a set of five. The outer size, the glazing and the moulding, the shaped length of wood or metal the frame is cut from, make up the rest. You get the quote at the counter when we have seen the items.
Outer size is the part of a quote that a small piece keeps low. Through Her Eyes is an acrylic on canvas, 30 by 40 cm, showing a small standing figure inside the green outline of a head in profile.
Bring the items in the holders you keep them in. If you live outside Vancouver, send the diameter and thickness of each coin, the size of each stamp or note, the number of items and a photograph. Coins and notes brought home from a trip and framed with tickets and photographs are covered under travel keepsake framing.
Walk in at 1242 Davie Street during opening hours. Enter your email on this page for a 10% framing code to show at the shop, and see custom framing for everything else we frame.
How it works
1
Bring it in, or send photographs
Walk in to 1242 Davie Street during opening hours. If you are not in Vancouver, send the dimensions and a photograph and we will work from that.
2
We look at the actual piece
What it is made of, what condition it is in, and where it is going to hang all change the answer. You get a straight recommendation and a price for your piece, not a rate card.
3
It is made by hand and fitted
Cut to the piece, using conservation materials, and finished with hanging hardware rated for the actual weight.
Common questions
How is a coin held in a frame without glue?
A coin is held in a frame in a well, a round hole cut to its diameter in acid-free board that is as thick as the coin. The board surrounds the edge of the coin, a backing closes the well behind it and the glazing closes the front. No glue, wax or tape touches the coin, and it lifts out when the frame is opened.
Can both sides of a coin be seen in a frame?
Both sides of a coin can be seen in a frame when you bring two examples and one shows each face. With a single coin, one face shows and the other lies against the backing. If you need to see both faces of one coin, ask us at the counter about a frame with glazing on the front and the back.
How are stamps mounted for framing?
Stamps are mounted for framing in clear archival sleeves, small pockets of stable film that are open on one side. The sleeve is fixed to acid-free board, and the stamp touches only the film. No hinge, glue or moisture is put on the stamp, so its gum and its paper stay as they are. A mat with an opening surrounds each stamp or group.
Can a banknote be framed without folding or taping it?
Yes, a banknote can be framed flat with no fold and no tape. Clear archival corners grip the four corners of the note and are fixed to the board behind it, or the note rests in a clear sleeve. The note comes out unmarked. Two notes of the same kind can be framed next to each other to show the front and the back.
Can a coin in a graded holder or capsule be framed?
Yes, a coin in a graded holder or a capsule can be framed inside that holder. The holder stays sealed and rests in a recess cut to its outline, with its label showing. The frame is deeper than one for loose coins, because the holder is thicker. UV glazing goes in front, since the label and any paper insert can fade.
Can I take a coin or stamp out of the frame to sell it?
Yes, you can take a coin or stamp out of the frame to sell it, because no adhesive holds it. The coin lifts out of its well and the stamp slides out of its sleeve once the back of the frame is opened. Tell us at the start that you expect to open the frame, and ask for a back that can be closed again.
Should coins be cleaned or polished before framing?
Leave coins uncleaned and unpolished before framing. Collectors treat polishing as damage, because it removes the surface the coin has built up with age. Handle each coin by its edge or with cotton gloves, since the oils on fingers leave marks on metal. Bring the coins in the holders or envelopes you keep them in.
10% off your custom framing when you show this code at our shop
We frame, stretch canvas and reframe by hand, in our own workshop inside the gallery at
1242 Davie Street. Enter your email and your code appears right here. Show it at the
counter and we take 10% off the job. The code does not expire.
Send the measurements, what it is made of, and a photograph. We will tell you what it actually needs, including when the answer is that it needs less than you expected.
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In-shop offer · 1242 Davie Street, Vancouver
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and we take 10% off any framing, stretching or reframing job you bring us. It does not
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Exceptional Service and a Truly Memorable Art Purchase
I had a wonderful experience with Van Art Hub Gallery. I came across two pieces by Melina Ghaemi — *Mad Mirrors* and *Small World in the Hands of a Stranger* — and immediately fell in love with them.
I contacted Van Art Hub Gallery, and they were incredibly helpful throughout the entire process, from arranging the payment to organizing the shipping. At first, I was a little skeptical and nervous about how everything would work, especially since the paintings were still in Iran and it was shortly after the war. But the gallery handled everything with such professionalism and care that my concerns quickly disappeared. Amazingly, they were able to get the paintings to Canada in just two days!
The pieces are absolutely captivating. Even when I picked them up from the frame maker and was simply carrying them to my car, several people stopped and asked me about the paintings. That says a lot about how striking and special Melina Ghaemi’s work is.
A big thank you to Van Art Hub Gallery for making this experience so smooth and enjoyable. I truly appreciated their professionalism, communication, honesty, and integrity throughout the entire process. I would happily work with them again and highly recommend them to anyone interested in purchasing art through the gallery.
I got my order today and your work is really good. I didn’t expect to get a certificate for this painting, it was a surprise. Thanks for caring about small details.
The support team was really helpful and followed up nicely, wich I really appreciated. The painting is just like the photo – great quality and very detalied. I just wish it arrived a bit sooner, but honestly it was worth the wait.
I received my painting today. The support team was great and very responsive. The artwork is exactly what I was hoping for – even more beautifull in person. Truly a valuable piece. I’ll definetely order again. Thank you!
