I have a sentry fire proof safe with .80 cubic feet space, which is the only safe I have at the moment. I know fire safes produce moisture, but I've put two packs of silica desiccants which are good for 3 cubic feet each (excessive but better be safe than sorry). Would that be a safe way to get around the moisture issue until I can get a better safe? Do you think it would be safe to keep coins there with those precautions, or should I remove them immediately?
Remove them. I think there was a thread concerning this issue sometime this year. Members coins were all ruined! I will try to find the thread.
They actually retain moisture in the walls as part of the fire protection. Air out the safe every few days and you will be fine for short term storage. Edit to add. I'm wrong. Remove the coins.
Link was broken, I was able to fix it though. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/disaster-need-help-please.267208/
Oh wow. Glad I asked. Coins were in there for less than 24 hours with the desiccant packs. Hopefully no real damage was done.
Are all fire proof safes out of the question for collectible coin storage, or is this problem unique to Sentry safes?
Sentry safes have been getting bad reviews for quite a few years. Staples has a return rate of 60% on the ones they carry. Mostly due to faulty/failing locking systems, ie. keyboard malfunctions, jamming bolts. First I have heard of the moisture problem. Thanks for the info. Me, I prefer Liberty safes.
I think a lot has to do with the overall environment where you live too. I don't know the science of it, and won't speak to anyone's collection outside of my own, but I bought and have kept my coins in a Sentry fire-proof safe for the past 15 years with no ill effects whatsoever. I live in the So-Cal desert with super low moisture levels and am in the safe almost daily, so those are presumably the predominant factors in the coins remaining "healthy". After hearing everyone's opposition to them, I will be changing my method of storage in time though.
I store all my ammo in Sentry safes BUT they are downstairs where I run a fancy dehumidifier - I have never had a problem.
YES - the smaller safes aren't air tight so if you keep them in a high humidity environment then guess what? You get moisture in there with no way to dry it out!! That's why the small ones are 55$
I have been keeping my collection in a fireproof safe for years. Embarrassed to say they were in a garage for about 6 years, where it would get hot/cold. Now they are climate controlled. If moisture can get in, why can it not dry out? Also... I mainly have gold... is that pretty much ok no matter what?
If you actually have a fire in the storage area, all bets are off, as there are length of time of fire,max temp. of fire, how long to cool, and if the FD is hosing everything. But everyone with a safe can store all coins and albums that are inside the safe in food grade zip lock bags, use two , one inside the other. Add a desiccant if you wish between the 2 bags. If the cement inside the walls release moisture, it will not get into the double bag. I use a lot of the 2 gallon size, but you can order them up to 10 gallon for larger objects.
But remember that in case of a fire the safe will help to protect the contents, but the plastic bags will most likely melt. Fire safes are typically designed to keep the inside temperature below the combustion point of paper, not the melting point of plastics. That goes for slabs as well.
I should have specified better. In post 15, I was replying about an actual fire in the first paragraph, and the second paragraph was referring to general storage in reference to moisture and desiccants ( many of the previous posts). My apologies.
