Visting My Coin Collection

Unfortunately in so many places in the USA, crime is rather excessive. I too live in an area where crime is a problem. One of my neighbors had a safe bolted to the floor and walls. When his house was robbed, the criminals somehow managed to take that. Many of my friends and even my Son had robberies done to them. Usually so many are from peoples carelessness. My Son had a bad habit of leaving the garage door open when he worked on things and so many people passing by saw that and he ended up loosing all his tools. As to my coins. Most are in safe deposit boxes. More than one is needed. At home, many secret compartments and false walls. What a shame we live in such an area where no one trusts anyone.

I keep everything in my personal safe. First the safe is easily 400 pounds or so with everything in it. Only 3 people know the combo to the safe (myself, my mom, and my dad). The safe is in a very tight area in the house next to my parents safe (they are actually both the same model; plus fireproof, waterproof and anti theft resistant) it is nearly impossible to maneuver the safe. I have a hidden skeleton key for the safe if the batteries crap out. Now onto the security. Full 24 hour alarm system with active monitoring system and the police are literally 2 mins away. Have a great guard dog who barks at anything out of the ordinary. My dad has a full conceal and carry for my county in NY and he always keeps a spare fully loaded gun for my protection if my parents go on a RV adventure and I am alone even though I don't have a permit I know I have rights to use it if my life is in danger. Lastly I don't go around telling everyone I have a huge coin collection in my home. Few have ever even see my safe with the exceptions of my few best friends and my coin business partner. Good luck trying to steal from me.

Well, UltraRant, it's not only for the Americans. Here in Belgium you almost don't hear about people who have never been robbed so it's safer to hide your coin collection in a river than at home...

I keep mine up my behind. Most days it works out well.

Perhaps I am lucky enough not to be paranoid.


I have never had the violating experience of having anything stolen from my house. As far as I know, neither have any of my neighbors.

Also as far as I know, no one in my neighborhood uses drugs, or has guns.
Our street is just an average street of free standing houses, with no front fences and well kept lawns and gardens. Kids and dogs walk anywhere they like, but are mostly well behaved. Our suburb only has median value houses for Sydney.

I DO have a safe at home, bolted internally to the floor, but it holds a few documents and about 50 of my more valuable coins.
The rest of my collection is a working collection of a few thousand coins. I NEED to get at it easily. If the main part of my collection was at a bank, I would have to visit the bank safe room daily.

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I HAVE been in the Safe Room of the Coins and Medals Department of the British Museum, but THAT is a different story.