Do you live near a city big enough to have places that sell used store fixtures? We have several here in Minneapolis/St. Paul. They might be a good source of that kind of thing. Or an organize-it type of store. Or you could check out places that sell packaging; I know I've bought stuff in clear plastic boxes and you might be able to buy a small bunch.

If he's willing to do some work in cardboard (Bainbridge board would be my vote) or in balsa wood or bass wood (available in precut strips from a craft store), he could use those acrylic box frames.

Box frames come in lots of sizes, and are available at most Wal-mart-type places or at Bed Bath & Beyond. For a larger size (this one is 11x14) he might have to mail-order.

He'd have to make a frame for it to slide around, and then make shelves for them to stand on--how thick are they? That might shoot the box-frame idea down. (or it might mean that he should check w/ a custom plastics fabricator, and see how much they'd charge for making a deeper version of it).

To cut bass wood, you use a fine-toothed saw by X-acto (a razor saw), which you can usually buy wherever the wood itself is sold.

Another idea is to buy a drawer box or some other wooden box and stand it on its side, then screw plexiglas to the top.

Thanks for the suggestions. I found some unfinished box frames (with interior shelf) at Michael's this morning that may work for most of the collection. I'll also look into getting a large sheet of plexi for ds to attach to one of his bookcases for the larger items.