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 Replies: 18 / Views: 3,721 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3843 Posts |
In another thread it was said that there are instances of collectors/hoarders accumulating so many coins that they damage the structural integrity of their residence. Is this an urban myth or have you heard of situations of this occurring? Is so could you share some details of the situation and whether the structure collapsed under the weight. I can see this being a problem with copper penny hoarders, after a while a hoard can become quite large without a lot of effort.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
I have a hard time believing this is anything more than an urban legend.
Think about what is in the top floor of your house right now: a 100 pound bed, a 200 pound dresser, a 50 pound TV, a bathtub capable of holding the better part of a ton of water... the list goes on. I have seen some impressive hoards, but unless the owner did something *incredibly* stupid, it would take an inconceivable amount of coin to collapse a house.
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12845 Posts |
I just did a quick search for live loads in residential buildings and one source I came up with said 40 pounds per square foot. With hoarding of copper cents that could be easily surpassed. One $25 box of copper cents is 17 pounds. 100 boxes and you're at 1700 pounds. I think you'd need far more than that to cause damage though. Certain safes are extremely heavy. My house is on a slab so I don't worry about this kind of thing. (Nor do I hoard vast amounts of copper cents.)  To answer your question, no, I've never heard of that happening and it does seem like an urban legend. But it seems plausible with a truly massive hoard. Edited by CelticKnot
09/16/2015 11:56 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7625 Posts |
Older homes with hardwood floors, supported by a wooden
pier foundation, could have a problem supporting excessive weight.
A concrete slabbed structure should not have a problem as long as storage is on the first floor. Upper floors are usually supported by wood framing with plywood subfloors.
Storage on upper floors can cause problems. I've seen water beds on upper floors buckle wooden floors. If 3000 lbs of water in a plastic bag can warp a floor, I'm sure a hoard of 100 bags of wheat cents can do it, too!
Edited by westernsky
09/17/2015 12:40 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
946 Posts |
I work in construction and have so for many years. Weight is a factor for sure. In my old house I had to go underneath in the basement and support the floors from underneath for a big safe we had in one room. A structure can support a lot of weight IF and I mean IF built right. Over time though it will begin to sag if it is not supported. If your on the 1st floor and have a solid concrete foundation sub you can put a tank in and be good. On the other hand if you have a old house I would take weight into consideration. This is all for future protection of course so why not protect your assets ?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
757 Posts |
This is the only thing I have ever heard of when it came to coins causing a problem with a house. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news...lector_x.htmIt could also have just been a random bolt of lightning. not sure why the link isn't working. Here is the interesting part of the article. Quote:
He stored the fifty-cent rolls in 559 boxes in his basement.
He documented the contents and date of each roll in a loose-leaf binder that is now 3-inches thick. "He is a bit meticulous," Violet said.
Her husband protests good-naturedly that he was not obsessed: "Sometimes I'd go two or three weeks without touching a penny." He pauses: "Then, I'd roll for two or three hours. It was very relaxing."
Until lightning struck, twice.
Electrical storms knocked out his living room television, directly above his penny collection. "I thought the copper in pennies may be attracting lightning," Sukie says. Edited by davec13
09/17/2015 11:39 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
946 Posts |
Davec that posted link doesn't work.
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Valued Member
United States
59 Posts |
While we don't store bags of silver dollars like Redfield did; didn't he have a special room built for them and their weight?
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Valued Member
United States
171 Posts |
On another coin forum there were some pictures of a guy that had full 55 gallon plastic trash cans containing Lincoln cents in his garage. I don't remember how many he had I but think there were more than 20 of them.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1119 Posts |
Quote:
I just did a quick search for live loads in residential buildings and one source I came up with said 40 pounds per square foot. I weigh significantly more than forty pounds and when standing my feet take up less than one square foot. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
Just don't loogle for people whom place a pool on their deck.....  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12845 Posts |
Quote:
On another coin forum there were some pictures of a guy that had full 55 gallon plastic trash cans containing Lincoln cents in his garage. I think I remember that and it was also an ebay auction. They were big grey Brute trash cans. Wanted like $50k or something for them. |
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5400 Posts |
Evidence yet again that some people just have way too much time on their hands  . |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12845 Posts |
Perhaps, but I would love to have had just one of those Brutes to go through while wasting my time watching NCAA and NFL football! Not sure I could have gotten through one of those bad boys in a single season! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
I saw a listing along the trash cans, but it was 3-5 oil drums of common date wheats. I could see something like that causing structural damage, but you would have to be pretty dumb to think that was a good idea anywhere but on a concrete slab in your garage/basement.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12845 Posts |
Quote:
...but you would have to be pretty dumb to think that was a good idea anywhere but on a concrete slab in your garage/basement. Indeed. Which is why this is probably an urban legend. Maybe we can get the Mythbusters to test this one. |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 3,721 |
Posted 09/16/2015 11:54 pm
