Beware When Storing Your Silver In A Strongbox

Silver tarnishes. That doesn't detract from the melt value.

I have a silverplate tea set that has sat unused in a drawer for about 45 years. Have it stored in those silver keeper bags. Set looks brand new.

Welcome to CCF! I bought some silver 10 oz Scottsdale stacker bars back when silver was $26 oz. They all have a very thin plastic wrap around them, hard to see unless one looks close. I can see a little air gap in the plastic on the ridge before the higher level where the lion stamp is. Silver bars, bullion, coins can tarnish especially where there is high humidity or chemicals in the air like cigarette smoke. They can tone/tarnish even in graded slabs, plastic wrap or capsules which are not 100% air tight.

Every Scottsdale bar I've bought is plastic wrapped. I don't know it they all are wrapped at the factory. Buying them on secondary market people may have removed the wrap. If your bar is also plastic wrapped then in my opinion those are not fingerprint marks. Your bar is toning where there are small air gaps under the wrap and where the buffing scratches are. My PMs are in basement safe with dehumidifier in the room and desiccant cans in the safe. I haven't had much if any toning on my silver. Here's pics of my Scottdale stacker bars, keep them in a plasic food storage container.

I would not be concerned about the toning, it does not hurt the melt value, a stacker may want to pay a little less premium but not much. Some like toning.

Yeah it's a good idea to wear soft cloth or nitrate gloves when handling bars and bullion to avoid fingerprints. Hold collectible coins on their edges.

I keep some home-made silver bars in my SDB along with my more valuable slabbed coins. Even though I keep a desiccant pack in the box I noticed the silver bars are getting tarnished. I suspect it's caused by the rubber bands that I use to keep stacks of slabs together. The rubber bands deteriorate over time and become brittle. It's possible they are emitting sulfur as they degrade.
Fortunately my slabbed coins have remained unaffected and the tarnished bars are easily cleaned with a dip in silver cleaning solution
I need an alternative elastic-band option for holding those slab stacks together. Any clever suggestions?

I've used freezer baggies and food storage containers for some of my coins/bars. Any barrior to the air should help even if not 100% air tight in my opinion.

I have a Winchester gun safe bolted to my cement slab. Where I am, there is almost zero humidity 10 months of the year. I store my silver in boxes and my gold in large jars believe it or not. No tarnish yet.