Storing Coins In Gun Safes - Question

no I have had coins in with my guns for over 10years
with the gun oil on the guns nothing has happened and I think it might even help with keeping problem free
I am more scared of PVC

My only question would be regarding potential outgassing from the cleaning agents/oils that might be in the safe with them; shanew has evidence but there are lots of differing formulations on the market. I've got nothing specific for experience, though.

What if I kept my slabbed coins inside a sentry lock box inside the gun safe? Do you think they would be safer then?

Not sure about the exact chemistry of it, but Hoppes 9 or CLP you can smell traces of for several hours afterwards where you used it. With that they can get off the barrel MS 70 is probably safer from a coin standpoint than what those things have in them.

CLP I wouldnt risk it at all as its an all in one cleaner, preserver, lubricator thats strong enough to be used in freezing and desert temps. Some of the individual ones may not be too bad if the seals still on them.

Its all stuff thats designed to strip off grim and rust from guns though or lubricate something under tremendous force. I dont see how that would end well. I actually wouldnt be surprised if over time it ate through any plastic protection.

I go one step further though and store the cleaners separate from guns and ammo. If I wont even let that around it theres no chance I will even let my coins be in the same room much less the same safe. I've never really understood putting the clearner in the safe anyway. Guns, ammo, and coins yes, but a 5 dollar bottle of cleaner the garage is fine for that imo

I stored the better coins in my collection in a safe with my Dad's guns for probably close to 10 years when I was a teenager/in college. They were in 2x2 flips, and none of them were damaged in any way.

The answer is simple... don't clean your guns.

Seriously though, if you are using that much cleaning agent on your firearms that you are worried about the gasses harming your coins, you're probably doing something wrong to your firearms and you should worry more about the guns than your coins.

With regards to those damaged slabs - consider exactly what gun cleaning solvents are supposed to do - much like acetone or M.E.K. they will eat plastics, but protect the metal...

thundercoin I am with you nothing well over ten years gold silver copper no change

For the record, I've collected firearms for 48 years. Coins about the same. Possessed an FFL for almost 35 years. And restored firearms for museum collections.

First, I don't have the problem. I have separate safes for guns and coins.
Next, 10 years is not long enough to judge the effects of chemicals on coins. And you don't want to treasure a special coin for the best part of your lifetime, only to discover that it was damaged while in your possession. Even if it is one of little collectors value, given to you by a relative in your youth. And one you wish to pass on to your grandchildren.
And 2x2s offer good protection when sealed properly, but most of us have a silver coin in a 2x2 that shows obvious oxidation where the plastic seal was broken.
Further, I am a firm believer in using lots of chemicals on firearms. But caution is needed, as the wrong choices and applications can damage guns, just as the wrong uses of chemicals can damage coins.
I can open my gun safe, take out an 1885 Winchester in nearly mint condition, fire it, and keep 1" groups at 100 yards. Clean it and return it to the safe. But I need to use chemicals to preserve it's condition.
I've rebuilt and restored hundreds of Carbines, Garands, Springfields, Enfields and Mausers. It requires chemicals!
Jacketed bullets deposit copper in the bore. Proper cleaning solutions are formulated to dissolve copper. And will affect coins.
(And let me caution the Tyros, once you slather the bore with chemicals, store it barrel down, or the oils and other chemicals will run down the barrel and saturate the wooden stock, causing additional damage.)
So... Don't store your cleaning chemicals in the safe. No one is going to break into your castle to steal your bore cleaner.
You can easily avoid the problem entirely. Put your coins in air tight containers such as ammo cans. And/or you could seal your firearms in plastic bags.
Good quality ammo cans come in sizes that range from "petite" to "I'll bet you can't lift this." The seal is so air tight, that when not damaged, is almost medical quality. [I closed some .50 cal cans when it was 85 outside. Now that it is below zero, the vacuum inside those cans make them very difficult to open.] Plus they are stackable, can be labeled and provide secure transportation.




And just to test the effect of bore cleaners on a coin. I put a drop of Barnes Rifle & Handgun Bore cleaning Solvent on a Q-tip and wiped the right half of a Lincoln Cent. The results were striking within an hour. And profound within 10 hours.



My way isn't the way, but a way.
Other opinions and experiences encouraged.