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Replies: 36 / Views: 3,017 |
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Valued Member
United States
455 Posts |
I'm thinking of investing in a coin safe, has anyone shopped one lately? Any feedback would be helpful. Size, cost, where to place it, should it be hidden? Bolted to floor? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
I'm kinda interested as well. I'd only put my top 10% in there but it's worth the money to protect everything. Make sure to place it by the front door, unbolted. And we finally have nice weather outside...why not leave the front door open? 
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2600 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
986 Posts |
A lot of people use those giant gun safes, bolted to the floor somewhere (like a closet). Those things are massive. My parents bought one of those giant business safes from a company going out of business for $20 and the cost of getting it home. It's easily over 800 pounds. That's where I keep my coins in, alongside a bunch of other stuff.
Or, you could get a medium sized safe (a lot cheaper, usually) and put boxes of pennies in it to weigh it down. Safety wise, your best bet may be a safe deposit box at the bank (unless the gov't decides to start melting coins again. Then you're in trouble there.)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1626 Posts |
I use a Gun safe. This safe is rather large as it was designed to hold 20 Rifles. After my gun collection out grew the safe I upgraded that and use it for my coins now. I have it bolted to the floor and wall. I bought this safe from Sportsmans Wharehouse for apx $250.00 It is fireproof up to a certain degrees (cant remember)
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Rest in Peace
Australia
661 Posts |
Simple tip from a friend in the security business. Use a safe by all means. If on a concrete floor, bolt it down. If on a wooden floor use a steel plate the same size as the safe under the floor and put the bolts through the plate, then the floor and then into the safe. . Cheers.
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Valued Member
 United States
455 Posts |
Gun safes sound like a good idea. I'm also thinking of something structural, like a fake floor or fake wall.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1031 Posts |
After the passing of my grandparents this is one of thing I noticed in respect to this topic. Before they built their house, they had a safe bolted to the concrete floor in the basement. The safe was much larger than the opening of the basement door so there was no way someone could take it. I'll remember this one if I ever have a house built.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
882 Posts |
My aunt worked at a Bar in town and they threw out their old safe and just put it in the alley. My father and I went with the trailer and picked it up. It's like 3' W, 3' D, and 3' L. We dug out are root celler a little more last summer and poored a new concrete foundation. So before we poored the concrete, we dug out a hole in the wall, placed the safe inside the ground, then poored concrete around it to make a wall safe surrounded by concrete, in the root cellar, which is hard to find (might I add). I think that's where my father wants to place are coins. My collection is far larger than his. Ty
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Pillar of the Community
United States
882 Posts |
Oh, to answere your question: You shouldn't pay anything for a safe. You should place the safe in the wall and poor concrete around it. And you should keep it some place dry.  Ty
Edited by Tykimeister 04/23/2007 11:29 am
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Valued Member
United States
487 Posts |
I bought the biggest one they had at Wal Mart on Sat. Fire proof and Water proof. Got it on sale for $99.
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
Probably what I'll do when I get a chance. What were the dimensions?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
quote: bought the biggest one they had at Wal Mart on Sat. Fire proof and Water proof. Got it on sale for $99.
Make sure you keep plenty of silica gel (indicating type)in the safe with your coins and check them frequently. Most fire resistant safes are full of moisture and will do a great job corroding your coins unless you take steps to prevent the problem.
Edited by Conder101 04/23/2007 1:39 pm
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Valued Member
United States
382 Posts |
Yes any safe is better than no safe. Not only for theft but for fire too. I too have one of those old safes, (the kind they use to pull out of the bank with a horse in the Westerns) This thing has to go a good 500 lbs. I doubt anyone can take it out of this house..
Tony
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Pillar of the Community
United States
819 Posts |
I have looked at alot of safes trying to solve the same problem; getting the mostest for the leastest. The gun safes are by far the cheapest, but don't have the same fire protection as a regular safe; the profile of the gun safe lends itslef to better disquise, say in a closet. The cheapest regular safe I found was a $400 used safe from a dealer who took it in on trade when a customer upgraded...I just didn't have the $400 at the time, it was quite large, estimate 3x4x5 feet. If I decide to go that route I plan on contacting dealers in Houston and letting them know I would be interested in any trades they get in and wait for the right deal. Sentry safes at Walmart are good, but not enough volume for my tastes, that small they definitely need to be anchored to the floor with lag bolts into the slab or as mentioned above, a metal plate under the floor the same size as the safe. Make sure where you locate it there is plenty of joist support for the safe; it would be best to span 2 joists (normally 16 inches apart rather than be centered over one.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
819 Posts |
one other thing, I just missed a locked safe at an auction that went for next to nothing, no one had the combination. to drill out the old lock and install a keypad type electonic lock costs about $350 in Houston, Texas plus your cost of the safe and time and trouble getting it to the dealer, they can do it on a one day turn around usually.
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Replies: 36 / Views: 3,017 |