Coin Safe Advice

looking to purchase a modest coin safe, for peace of mind. am interested in both fireproofing and theft deterrence. do not plan to anchor the safe to the floor in my current home, but can be convinced to do otherwise. not looking to spend thousands. would like to have sufficient room for my collection to grow over time, but a floor-to-ceiling job not in the cards.

thanks in advance for your advice!

v.

 

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Here's the one that I have. It suits my needs at the moment.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3922137

 

Having just gone through this for insurance purposes, I have a few observations.

My safe is for fire protection only; it's not rated for being broken into but they'd play hell getting into it.
The insurance people wanted a 2-hour safe which is what I got.
It's about 3 cu ft. Plenty of space for intermediate collectors.
It's over 500 pounds so I didn't fix it to the floor.
I hope I never have to move.

Price: $1,500 plus $500 delivery.
They ain't cheap.

See here:
http://www.gardall.com/

 

Bass Pro Shops...under 1000 its rated 2 hours fire proof. full size and a combination lock. its a red duck. they also have one half that size for under $500 in thier catalog.

 

Gotta love the reviews right below the product description.

 

I got a Sentry from Sam's. A little over 3 cubic feet, 170lbs and less than $300. Fire/water resistant...I don't remember the exact specs. It's attached to the concrete in my basement. I really like it.

 

I've never had a problem with mine. Besides, thats not the only obstacle between my front door and my coins.

 

My only advice is to stay away from the digital key pad safes. From the research that I have done, a lot of people have problems with that component failing and are essentially locked out of their own safe.

So, to make a long story short....stick with the standard dial combination lock safes.

 

Clint Eastwood lives at your house?

 

wowo you are so lucky. i have one that4 times the size and i had to order one more. less money for coins

 

Mine has a digital key pad AND a key .. if the combination fails, battery dies, you just remove the panel & use the key. NOW I just have to remember WHERE I put the key. Thanks folks... I'll be up all night wondering.....

 

As Caestelle said, stay away from the keypad safes.
I bought the one with the dial and NEVER had a problem with it.
The person that couldn't open it probably didn't know that safes start by turning to the left.
She probably thought it was like a normal combonation lock.

I have several of the safes and never had a problem with any of them.

 

My digital keypad safe came with a key to manually unlock it in case of a problem. On mine, all you have to do is pull the keypad off and behind the battery is a small hole for the key. That way I'll never be locked out. I just had to find a good hiding place in the house for the key.

 

Hello everyone,

I have been thinking of getting a safe. Right now I really don;t have a lot so no big need immediately. Now I know about what they cost and where to look. THANKS!

Regards,
S

 

Yea, he lives in the guest house with John Wayne and Bruce Lee.:thumb:

 

I don't have one and never will. Now here is just a few things to remember.
Someone will deliver that safe and the drivers, shipping department, your neighbors all now know you need a safe for something very, very valuable. Stories grow and grow and grow.
If you report this to an insurance agency, all such info goes into thier computers and many, many now have access to that information. Of course all insurance agency people are completely honest.
You know have something in your house that if not concealed would attract the attention of any visitor that stumbled on it and they would tell thier friends that would tell thier friends that would..............
If you have a safe in a basement where the humidity is high and every time you close the door you lock in that humidity. If you start using reusable gel packs, more money.
If not extreamely heavy, bolted down or to a wall, it is not impossilble for it to be removed and not by the nicest people.
Then naturally there is the fire thing. If a fire breaks out and gets to the safe, naturally many things in there will not be distroyed completely. However, the metal gets hot, the inside gets hot, maybe not flaming hot, but hot. If your coins are in Plastic Slabs, that will melt all over the coins. If your coins are in albums with plastic slides, that too will melt all over your coins. If they are in 2x2's the plastic there will also melt all over the coins. Cardboard holders will smolder and the smoke will also effect the coins. All this since the hot air has no place to go. There is a chance the safe door will not open due to excessive heat creating metal enlarging the door in the jam so you could not even get the coins out.
I'm sure they do give some a feeling of security though. I have two neighbors that would strongly dissagree after their robberies.

 

This has been brought up before, I will mention it again...

Firesafes are treated chemically inside between the walls to be fire retardent, and this may cause some concern with coins toning.....any expert opinions?

Bass Pro and Cabelas both have great safes, good lookin enough to be office furniture, but the fire thingy bugs me, sure would like to hear more about it before I spring for a bigger safe.

Rolls of coin in the smaller safes, stored in the bottom, sure help to add that needed weight if it is not anchored to a floor.......

 

.........and then the earth will open up and all of your coins will fall into a huge hole and the friction from the force of air against your coins will melt the plastic from your 2x2s all over your coins. The End

 

Some members of this forum ( no one in particular ) seem to be of the glass is half empty crowd, usually more negative views in general and a sorta not very enthusiastic about much.......

 

What the hell is that supposed to mean