Mix straw with ingots?

[Charlie Horse]

Several years back a friend gave me a small nail barrel full of ingots. The ingots came from a Lyman mould so I assume they came from a boolit caster.
Anyway, the ingots were packed in straw. Not a lot of straw. It didn't cover the ingots, but it was mixed in. It didn't seem to be there by mistake.
There was no oxidation on these ingots. I've seen oxidation on lead that has been stored. Could the straw have been there to keep oxidation from happening? Maybe there was some other reason for it to be there? Anyone ever heard of doing this?
The reason I'm asking is that I'll be boxing up several hundred lbs of lino as a stash. I've seen lino that had formed a white powdery coating. Do you suppose the old timers did this to reduce oxidation?
Any thoughts?

[waksupi]

If you are concerned about oxidation, dip your ingots in soapy water, and let dry. They will stay bright.

[454PB]

I have ingots that are 35 years old and have no real oxidation, only slight darkening in color. Keep them dry and they are fine.

[randyrat]

The straw sucks up a lot of moisture thats why they use it under young stock for bedding, also its cheap. I'll bet it reduced moisture and prevented some oxidation.

[Bret4207]

If the keg was kept in a barn the bits of chaff and hay will drift in and fill the voids quite effectively. In fact, if you leave your old lawn mower in the mow (hay loft) for a couple 3 years it'll pack into every opening it can find and cause a good warm fire when you start it up a few years later. First hand experience guys!

I imagine thats what happened with the keg full of ingots.