The Importance Of A Safe Deposit Box.

No SDB for me. I think the most valuable belonging in my house is the refrigerator that I paid $1600 for. No flat screen TV, no fancy electronics(outside of what my company provides for me), no coins over $100. I like it that way. If some clown wants to steal my stuff, let him. It's insured.




Hehe. Mine too. She's also big, loud and hates strangers.

I understand your thought Figman, and it's very easy for anyone to start down that path, but let me shed further light on the circumstances of the burglary.

My 89 year old neighbor saw the 2 burglars leave a third accomplice as a lookout in their car and run down my 660 foot driveway and into the woods. At the time, he didn't call the police because he wasn't sure they weren't chasing after a runaway dog, or some such thing. He watched for them to come back to the car, which they never did. After nearly half an hour, the car simply drove off . . . too bad his eyesight isn't good enough to have recorded their registration number. I surmise that the thieves in the house called out with a cell phone to get picked up at the nearest side street, which is about 400 yards through the woods.

The interesting thing is that their haul was not limited to my coins, but included jewelry, a Nintendo DS, a laptop computer, about 20 DVDs and VHS box sets, and a 100 pound 46 inch flat panel television . . . yes, you read that right. An awful lot for 2 people to carry 400 yards through the woods.

So, I am certain it was not an inside job . . . in fact, I'm certain the coins came as a complete surprise to them. If they'd known in advance what kind of coins I dealt in, they would never even have touched the other stuff.

I've been hoping that they, apparently not being coin-knowledgable, were not savvy enough to remove the coins from the holders. Unfortunately, since the burglary took place September 8th, I'm now quite sure the coins are all raw, or in new holders.

My best chance of locating them now is by pointing people to photos (type ToughCOINS into an ebay search . . . a small percentage of the stolen coins will come up), or for people to recognize a group of rare coins on my list of stolen inventory . . . many were quite scarce, with a few being rare.

- Mike

I don't know what this guy was thinking. At the very least he should have a safe in his house. I recently bought a large gun safe for my home. I don't put my guns in there though. They are locked up in other places. But if the thief can get my 300-400 pound safe up the basement stairs, through the garage and out onto his car, he deserves the contents of the box.

Address not provided.

I'm glad that finally worked out for you. I live in Los Angeles County where you can't drive five feet without slamming on your brakes, or get out of your car without someone being right there asking you for money. Having said that, I am very fortunate to live in a smaller community and my SDB is at a very small bank with maximum security in place. This bank was robbed once but, the suspect was caught while exiting the bank. He was trapped in their bullet proof chamber while exiting. It locks you in until the police arrive

I really like that one. The thing here is that type of stuff is really becoming common since people just don't have to think anymore. If it's in the computer, it must be so. One wrong digit, wrong letter and you could owe millions or receive millions. In this case all's well that ends well, maybe. Please let us know about the next letter or call you get from that place. Might be even more fun.
As to insuring your coins. I've mentioned this many times. With the computer age everything you tell your insurance agent goes into a computer today. This means that your personal information is now available to as many people in that organization that knows how to use a computer. Be real carefull of what you tell an insurance agent. The people that work there today may not work there tomorrow and have all your personal info.

May be a good idea or a bad one. Again, if a criminal is not satisfied with what they find they may force you to simply open the other one. If insured, if you've told friends or relatives, neighbors, etc. the story of you fantastic wealth with two safes may have grown extensively. And a gun to your head or a family members head makes safes open rapidly.
Also, remember that a SDB in almost any bank is fairly fire proofed, humidity proofed, not visible by anyone in your house.
One of my neighbors that was robbed had the entire house stripped. They took a safe that was bolted to the floor and every thing else. They had a security system and it rang somewhere. The security place called and the robbers answered and said all is just an error on their part. Then they took the security system too.

We have gotten to the point that we think we are safe, when the SDB's are closed, and only we have the "other key". Not so. You will go with the Crook and open the box, while his/her accomplice waits, with your family! My thought is not let anyone know you have anything of value, to start with. Much less a nice collection.
I have never had a SDB, because I have never had anything of value to put in one!
Looking at it from the crooks point, The last thing I would want to find in a place where I intended taking that which was not mine, would be a dog! people don't like 'barking dogs", and they look to see why it is making a fuss. Everyone knows what his neighbors look like, even if they are not known to each other personally. So the dog barks, and they look, then call the police. Or the crook(s) will be hauled off, (or the barking dog). Usually the crooks. My next door neighbors have no inkling that I collect coins, and they feel at home while visiting our house. Nothing looks "out of keeping with the rest of the furnishings, so no attention drawn to a big safe sitting is sight in one of the rooms. no safe here. Nothing worth a second look. Those of you who know about the others coin collections are of the same thought. Little know, less attraction.
There was a time when one never had to lock the doors. A their could care less about locks. The honest person doesn't worry about a lock, and the thief could care less. The only time I worry, or wonder, when I leave home, is when there are "Newly acquired family members", who learn of the collection, later. They might comment to friends, (who we don't know, and maybe "let the cat out of the bag". In my case, they intruder has to break in, making a lot of noise, then that is only the first door, or window. there are others, and finally the dog. Some are taught to attack an intruder, without making noise. Then you have to "break out, again, making a lot of noise. You can't go back the way you came in, because the neighbors are all watching, and wondering what is all the noise? By then the Cops are there, and the crooks are caught, red-handed. Bottom line: The more you "show", the more the crooks know! If you can't keep a secret, just hand then the key. Less damage that way. And, you lose, either way.
Dick

Exactly true.