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 Replies: 107 / Views: 11,295 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5863 Posts |
My wife and I are considering purchasing a monster box of silver eagles, but she has some concerns about the actual logistics of taking possession.
If we have it shipped, she is afraid the postman (or UPS guy or FedEx guy) will somehow be able to figure out what's in the box due to the weight. And, of course, the secret to storing PMs safely is to not let anybody know you have any.
Alternatively, I could go somewhere and pick up a box in person, but then my wife is afraid that somebody will be watching the store to see who leaves with big heavy boxes of stuff and follow them home.
Personally, I think she's being overly paranoid, but it doesn't really matter what I think since if she doesn't feel comfortable it's just not gonna happen.
I should mention, BTW, that she floated the idea of buying 10 ounces of gold with the same money that could be used to buy the monster box of silver. That would be OK to her because that amount of gold could be shipped much more innocuously. I nixed that idea, though, since right now I really feel that silver has a lot more upwards potential than gold (gold might possibly double in price eventually, but silver could potentially increase ten-fold).
Any thoughts? How have you taken possession of monster boxes in the past? Any special precautions? Is my wife really just being overly paranoid? Or should we just go buy some gold instead?
Edited by barryg
03/13/2012 12:06 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1502 Posts |
Some of the Canadian Dealers I purchase from via postal delivery label their packages discreetly to suggest that the contents are books. But I really don't worry that much. I know the Canada Post delivery person and FedEx agent by name and am on friendly terms with the local post offices because I visit so often. The only precaution I take is that I store the valuables in the bank safe. For really large local purchases I drive straight to the bank from the store I purchased from.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1374 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
808 Posts |
Wow! I'm a long long way away from ever purchasing a monster box myself, but I think you guys are wise to be cautious. It's a big investment. If you choose to have it shipped: In the post-9/11 world you really have to assume that someone in the delivery chain is going to have a pretty good idea what's in that box. Buying from a company known for discrete packaging is your best defense against giving away the contents. If you choose to buy from LCS: Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't be comfortable walking out of a PM dealer's front door with a big heavy box. A few nice coins or a mint tube in my pocket? No problem. A big box, however, might be more attention than I'd want. Also depends on if your PM dealer is in a store front or a professional building. Ask him/her if they have a discrete way to get the box in your vehicle. Never hurts to ask and the answer may make you feel more comfortable with the purchase. Like poboxw said: Quote:
The only precaution I take is that I store the valuables in the bank safe. For really large local purchases I drive straight to the bank from the store I purchased from. Where you eventually decide to store your coins is a personal matter. Whatever you decide to do, I wouldn't give anyone any reason to think that you ever store anything of significant value at home. Period. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1502 Posts |
@Drsandman2: poor sucker... but rear window as oppose to trunk and the whole car suggests that he had the coins in the backseat in plain view. Not exactly a good idea.
@barryg: Aside from coinwatch's suggestions, ff you are on friendly terms with the coin dealer and live close to the store, you could pay for the lot and make multiple, more discrete trips to carry a few tubes home at a time. 500/20 = only 25 tubes, so 3-4 trips of 7-8 tubes at a time ain't so bad.
If mail order, you can set up a postal box for a short period of time to avoid shipping to your home.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5863 Posts |
Hmmmm... the PO Box sounds like a good idea! I wonder what it costs to get one big enough to fit a monster box of silver eagles...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5863 Posts |
Ah, well... it was a thought.
Just checked with the local post office and the biggest PO Box they have available is 11" x 5.5". A nearby post office has one that's 11 x 11, but that's still not going to fit a monster box (15 x 8.5 x 4.5).
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2764 Posts |
You don't need the box to PO Box to fit your monster box, you can always pick your item up over the counter (just make sure to go at the time there are least people)....
Also, if you have large/heavy order and shipped via UPS or FedEx, I don't think they would know, especially if you designate that you will pick it up at their local office (one less person handle the package) and they couldn't guess what in it.... if someone commenting that such a heavy package then just say it's auto part, "I'm rebuilding my old man's car engine"......
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
I thought if it didn't fit in the box they would hold them for you in the back and put a piece of paper telling you it arrived and to talk to the person behind the desk so they can get it for you. So you may want to ask them that if something was shipped that didn't fit in the po box what do they do and they may do what I mentioned
EDIT: I see my thoughts were shared with SA, and he must have posted his response as I was typing mine
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2589 Posts |
You can have a tiny PO box and still get mail thats bigger than the box, they just hold it in the back for you and put a slip in your box that you present to the desk clerk to get your packages.
I wouldn't worry to much about the postal employees stealing it, any dealer selling monster boxes worth its salt would insure their packages to prevent themselves from being sued. And Fed ex and USPS ship packages heavier than monster boxes all the time. Car parts, scrap metal, crates of goods ect.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
Have the seller label the box "CAUTION: ANVIL"
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5863 Posts |
Well, that just goes to show what I know, I guess. I think an extremely small (and cheap) PO box may be in my future...
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1502 Posts |
+1 on the PO Box, the post office will hold packages for you in their storeroom and leave a note to pick up.
There are though 2 things you have to make sure first. One is that the dealer will ship to a POBox as some oddly won't. The other is only if you pay with credit; your payment address has to match your shipping address.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3670 Posts |
Wow Barry that is great you got the wife on board and that is a major buy....
On that subject, I hear PCGS or NGC will grade maybe a half dozen MS-70 out of a monster box, and the rest MS-69. And as well all know, OFTEN a loose nice eagle brings more then a slabbed MS-69.....
So, I like the case idea, getting them slabbed I figure would be a real bad investment, as it cost what like 20 bucks per eagle?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5863 Posts |
Silverhawk74: Still in the consideration stage, so nothing is definite. I'm just trying to find out what the options are so I can present the case to her.
poboxw: With a purchase of this size, I'd definitely be paying by check or bank wire. My credit is good, but I don't think I could put $18K on any of my cards. And I did call Goldmart earlier today to confirm that they will, in fact, ship to PO boxes. Of the major dealers (APMEX, Goldmart, Provident Metals), they seem to have the best price at only $2.59 over spot per coin and free shipping for orders over $5K.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2661 Posts |
Quote:
I should mention, BTW, that she floated the idea of buying 10 ounces of gold with the same money that could be used to buy the monster box of silver. That would be OK to her because that amount of gold could be shipped much more innocuously. I nixed that idea, though, since right now I really feel that silver has a lot more upwards potential than gold (gold might possibly double in price eventually, but silver could potentially increase ten-fold).  And I feel ASE's have less down side potential. |
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Replies: 107 / Views: 11,295 |
Posted 03/13/2012 10:14 am
