OH, you got a bunch a slabs...

[SilverEagleCoins]

You've collected a bunch of slabes fro NGC, PCGS, etc and you probably have the little 20 slab holder type boxes. How do you store or transport all your boxes? Is a safe or gun cabinet a good environment for coin storage?

[TomB]

I keep nearly my entire collection in a safe deposit box at my local bank. There is very little that I keep at home.

[CarlWohlforth]

I've read that some fire proof safes develop a moist environment inside which is bad for coins. On the other hand gun safes should work well. They are designed to keep the guns from corroding so should be as dry as possible. Coins are like guns in that they both are made out of metal

 

Even if you keep your coins in a safe deposit box at the bank (like I do) it is probably a good idea to store them with a dessicant. That is those little packets that absorb moisture to keep things dry.

[Oldtrader3]

I keep my Gold coins in the bank, but I keep silver coins in a gun safe with a Browning (150 degree F) heater rod that eliminates moisture.

[TomB]

I keep the slabs in a safe deposit box, but I don't keep them there naked. They are each in individual Intercept Shield holders and then I use Intercept Shield boxes to store ten holders each. As if that were not enough, the boxes are then wrapped in thick, food-grade plastic bags with the air forced out. I use food-grade bags since PVC is not allowed in food-grade plastic.

[alcmaeon-migration]

Hey There

 

My big hobby is collecting antique firearms, and I have a couple of gun safes. They don't protect against moisture in the least. A good gun safe will have a decent fireproof level, and can be waterproof. However ambient air moisture is the culprit. I use a combination of hydrosorbent silica gel (available in a variety of sizes and can be recharged by your oven) and a "golden rod” dehumidifier. Using that combo has kept me rust free for many years, and gun steel will rust in the blink of an eye, or so it seems.

As far as storing coins, a gun safe would work as well as any other safe. Even a 14 long gun safe weighs 300lbs+ and your average thief probably has neither the skill to crack it or the strength to move it out (most gun safes also can be bolted to the floor or wall).

That being said, I wouldn't buy one just to store coins, unless you have thousands of them to store. It’s just too big and expensive.