Visting My Coin Collection

I always felt going to visit your collection every now and then takes the "personal" out of personal collection. But if you have no choice other than bank boxes what can you do?

I was lucky enough to get a bank holding safe if I would move it out of the basement. Finally got a wrecker truck to pull it out, but we smashed a lot of wood and broke two chains getting it into my home. Then I built a room around that with a hidden jail door to go through to get to the safe. Add to that a reliable home protection system with the police station 4 blocks from my home.

I was told that it would take a strong torch three days and many refills to get the safe open.

I also leave one of those little 3' x 3' x '4 safes that weigh about 150 pounds empty. I have a ton of virtually worthless tokens that I store inside. I leave the combination for that safe sitting right on top so someone could get into it if they have a brain.

The things that I do keep at home are stored in a few secret stashes built into various places in my house, which are hidden behind various objects, or within metal frames built into cut out doors in the drywall that would require a stud detector to locate. In addition, I have the best door locks money can buy (Mul-T-Lock/Abloy @ $400+ each), anti-kick reinforced door frames, cameras with 24 hour DVR, microphone capability, remote access and cloud uploads, and a 24-hour around the clock monitored security system with every single window and door protected + motion, infrared, smoke, and glass break sensors. A 180db alarm bi-directional klaxon is mounted from the ceiling in a little cubby hole above the fireplace with the other end pointed into the attic; it can be clearly heard for a block or so. The windows are double shaded and jamb-locked with full solar screens. Should someone still insist on trying to get into my house, I have a .38 S&W revolver in the living room and a .380 Ruger on my bedside table to dissuade any further inquiries, as well as fully posted property with no trespassing and castle doctrine big metal warning signs. Even the people who leave junk on your doors won't go near mine. My neighbor directly across from me also has full camera coverage of the front of both our houses, she runs an at-home day care so she is always home and she has a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun named George just in case someone gets a little too "curious."

For the heck of it, I keep a metal bank box in the kitchen, with the key sitting on top of it, near a couple of boxes of .380 ammo. It says "coins" on top of it in black Sharpie. Inside, I have 30+ rolls of pennies, making it quite heavy. I also have a safe "hidden" that has nothing but junk paper and empty jewelry boxes inside.

As one final measure of protection, 90%+ of my collection is photographed, inventoried (with purchase dates and amounts), and stored online @ PCGS, on a backup drive on my PC, and on the cloud.

Terry8835, when I saw your post I did a double take to make sure I hadn't posted it. Our situation is similar. Anything of value is in the largest safe deposit box my bank offers. I have the contents carefully inventoried and keep the list at home. My box is very heavy and I'm huffing and puffing to get it to the inspection area in the vault. Adding to the difficulty is that my box is right up against the wall of the vault so it's a bit difficult getting leverage to get it in and out. I kind of feel at times the thieves have won since I visit my collection maybe3 or 4 times a year. When I say "collection," I should point out that I have very few collectible coins. Just a few PCGS slabbed Morgan dollars, a 1950 slabbed proof set (my birth year). The remainder is gold and silver bullion.

The way you're asking the question automatically eliminates you from getting the number of responses you'd like....

If there's someone here that has as safe at home with valuables ... do you think they would want to say that? loose lips sink ships!

You would be better off making it an anonymous poll.

I have said this on other threads.. and I'll say it again...
A safe only protects you when you're NOT home.... you still don't want anyone to know you have one.. nor do you want anyone to FIND a safe in your house....

For what little is not where I have to visit it, my large, barking quadruped is a good deterrent. There are also many friends, always handy, here who are capable of imparting instant lead poisoning. Though capable, I just hope I am never in the position to have to ask one of them to do their job.

We have dogs, cameras, security system, loaded guns in every room, and lots of ammunition. This is just for my family. I hope I don't sound too paranoid? Hopefully my signature says it all.