How do you store your coins?

[stinkycheese1]

I wanted to make this post because I feel its important to how and where people store coins, especially values of gold coins or large collections that can be worth thousands of dollars.

 

How and where do you store your coins? What do you recommend for the most safety? I've heard that wallsafes cannot be safe because a person could just come in and take it off with a crowbar and haul it away. I think for homesafes the only thing that would work well would be a safe on the floor embedded in concrete.

 

I'm a bit concerned about how I store my coins. I do not have a safe, or store them at the bank. They are just laying around the house.

 

What do you recommend on storing your valueables?

Do you use those gels that remove all moisture in the air? (As I've heard mostiure can kill coins)

 

 

[Just Bob]

Stinkman, if you don't mind, I'd like to add one more question: Are fireproof safes ok for coin storage? I seem to remember hearing (or reading) that the interior releases chemical vapors that can be harmful to coins.

 

Thanks!

 

Sorry, didn't answer the question - Right now, my entire collection is housed in 2x2's and slabs, separated into labeled boxes, and all stored in one big box in my closet, which has almost reached the point of being too heavy to take off of the shelf. I am currently in the market for a safe, and will be keeping an eye on this thread for suggestions.

[michael]

safety deposit box at bank

 

cheap and safe

 

 

 

 

[rbrown4]

My coins are kept in two safety deposit boxes except for when I pull some out for viewing, imaging etc.

[stinkycheese1]

Stinkman, if you don't mind, I'd like to add one more question: Are fireproof safes ok for coin storage? I seem to remember hearing (or reading) that the interior releases chemical vapors that can be harmful to coins.

 

Thanks!

 

Sorry, didn't answer the question - Right now, my entire collection is housed in 2x2's and slabs, separated into labeled boxes, and all stored in one big box in my closet, which has almost reached the point of being too heavy to take off of the shelf. I am currently in the market for a safe, and will be keeping an eye on this thread for suggestions.

 

Hi Just Bob. I think fire safes are more meant to protect agianst a fire than agianst theft.

 

 

[Bruceswar]

I store my coins in a large safe. Works perfectly for me.

[bsshog40]

I really don't have a largely valued collection to worry about safety deposit boxes so I keep mine in a metal filing cabinet at home. I keep the silica packets in it but really don't have to worry about moisture anyway. I used to use a small fire safe for a while, never seen any signs of moisture from it and never had any problems with storage in it either. Of course I only used that for about a year.

[MikeInFL]

Safety deposit box. Inside that an Intercept shield box that is inside a large food-grade ziplock bag. Dessicant inside the Intercept Shield box and a second set inside the ziplock.

 

I do have a few modern circulated Danscos that I keep at home and a few morgans and half dollars -- nothing valuable, just sentimental stuff.

[cpm9ball]

Stinky, check this article from Coin World for general information on safes and retail sources.

 

www.coinworld.com/news/051605/BW_0516.asp

 

Chris

[Conder101]

Stinky, yes moisture can damage coins, but since you mainly do gold your pretty safe on that point, gold is fairly inert. Indicating Silica gel can be purchased online easily enough. In bulk it normally runs $12 - $15 a pound. The cheapest I've found is at this site http://www.veritemp.com/Products/Bulk+Silica+Gel/ where it is $5 a pound and even less in larger sizes (You may have to make up your own bags to put it in though, I don't think what it comes in would survive recharging of the gel.) One pound will handle about 33 cubic feet or a space about 2 foot by 3 foot by 6 foot. This looks like another good source. http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=17800 higher at about $13.

 

Like you my coins tend to lay around.. The slab refernce set is tossed into cardboard boxes over in the corner, there's 21K in Conders in double row boxes on the desk in the back room, My large cent die variety collection is at another place in the closet. Somewhere buried on the various desks I use there are three 1793 chain cents. I don't even know where they are exactly.

[jgrinz]

Like you my coins tend to lay around.. The slab refernce set is tossed into cardboard boxes over in the corner, there's 21K in Conders in double row boxes on the desk in the back room, My large cent die variety collection is at another place in the closet. Somewhere buried on the various desks I use there are three 1793 chain cents. I don't even know where they are exactly.

 

hahah I guess you didn't answer on the really high side of your organization level of your coins in a previous Poll

 

Basic Moderns in a home safe - Sac's , Proof Set , SBA's etc , Coin books etc

Investment grade in a Bank Vault. - 1883 Proof set / Morgans / ASE Proof set / Gold

 

Both insured at 115% of Retail ( Replacement would be difficult on some items )

 

[carson city]

1300 lb. custom, fire-retardant, humidity controlled, 6 ft safe, backed up with Beretta 8000 Cougar (.357) !

[BillJones]

Safe deposit box - and you need to find a bank that keeps its vault temperature constant.

 

Back in the 1970s I used a small bank that had vault with an outside wall that faced the weather. The temperature in the place was constantly going up and down, especially in the winter. I had a lot of trouble with toning on my coins - even some gold piece grew copper spots. I learned my lesson, and take care in selecting a bank now.

[MunkyMan95]

My coins are stored in a 4-ft thick, concrete, steel plated, underground vault with temperature sensors and a biometric access denial system. Not to mention the vault is patrolled 24/7/365 by hungry attack dogs and various armed guards. The location of this vault is top secret, and known only by myself. The guards are brought in from a checkpoint, blindfolded, and earplugged. No electronics are allowed in. No cell service for 25 miles or more.

 

It's true

[bsshog40]

My coins are stored in a 4-ft thick, concrete, steel plated, underground vault with temperature sensors and a biometric access denial system. Not to mention the vault is patrolled 24/7/365 by hungry attack dogs and various armed guards. The location of this vault is top secret, and known only by myself. The guards are brought in from a checkpoint, blindfolded, and earplugged. No electronics are allowed in. No cell service for 25 miles or more.

 

It's true

 

Who feeds the dogs??

[rrantique]

[bsshog40]

And you thought it was secure Chad. Looks like Irvin knows where it's at! haha

[MunkyMan95]

My coins are stored in a 4-ft thick, concrete, steel plated, underground vault with temperature sensors and a biometric access denial system. Not to mention the vault is patrolled 24/7/365 by hungry attack dogs and various armed guards. The location of this vault is top secret, and known only by myself. The guards are brought in from a checkpoint, blindfolded, and earplugged. No electronics are allowed in. No cell service for 25 miles or more.

 

It's true

 

Who feeds the dogs??

 

The bodies of the intruders are food enough

[cpm9ball]

My coins are stored in a 4-ft thick, concrete, steel plated, underground vault with temperature sensors and a biometric access denial system. Not to mention the vault is patrolled 24/7/365 by hungry attack dogs and various armed guards. The location of this vault is top secret, and known only by myself. The guards are brought in from a checkpoint, blindfolded, and earplugged. No electronics are allowed in. No cell service for 25 miles or more.

 

It's true

 

Yeah, but when he poured the concrete, he forgot to leave a space for the door.

 

Chris

[MunkyMan95]

My coins are stored in a 4-ft thick, concrete, steel plated, underground vault with temperature sensors and a biometric access denial system. Not to mention the vault is patrolled 24/7/365 by hungry attack dogs and various armed guards. The location of this vault is top secret, and known only by myself. The guards are brought in from a checkpoint, blindfolded, and earplugged. No electronics are allowed in. No cell service for 25 miles or more.

 

It's true

 

Yeah, but when he poured the concrete, he forgot to leave a space for the door.

 

Chris

 

[rexcat]

Hi Just Bob. I think fire safes are more meant to protect against a fire than against theft.

 

 

I would agree with that, except maybe some really dumb thieves, getting into most safes found in homes is rather easy for the pros. I have my coins in a safe that is bricked in so there's more protection from fire or storm for the coins, but when it comes to theft the best home protection is insurance.

 

I would not keep valuable coins at home without proper amount of coverage.

 

As far as protection in my home? I try not to brag to often,

 

but I can't help pointing out that my house is watched over by a GAURDIAN ANGEL!

 

Yeah eh,You betcha! (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See...

 

 

 

[MikeKing]

Stinkycheese, I keep all of my coins in a bank vault. The vault is cold and a higher humidity than I'd care for. I keep the coins in an Intercept Shield box, packed away with a large box of silica gel that is now sitting in my kitchen, waiting to be recharged for a week, all due to my laziness.

 

I know a lot of people over the years have talked about fireproof safes and the concern about moisture. I have a fireproof safe. I don't use it any longer, but when I did, I just put in a couple of large boxes of silica gel and kept the interior quite dry. So I think the concern about a moiture barrier is moot. But that is just my opinion. Personally, I wouldn't use anything BUT a fireproof safe, if I were to keep my coins at home. Bank vaults are subject to any kind of condition and it's all out of your control, so you balance it by attempting to create your own inner environment inside your box. Same with fireproof safes...except, you have even more control.

 

You can get a nice small safe at Staples or K mart. Make sure the interior is large enough to hold your coins. Always go for something larger. You may have to look around because usually, the safes in stores, are really too small for storing much of anything.

 

Larger, more sophisticated safes are best purchased online and then delivered. Of course, when I had mine delivered, they wouldn't bring it in to my house. That was a pain in the neck.