Coin collections, storage, and theft

While your presumption is correct as far as it goes...if memory serves, the top tier TPG's use acrylic plastic which http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(methyl_methacrylate) says melts at 320 F...there's a WHOLE BUNCH more to this than that.

Usually when we're talking about "fire rated" safes, folks are thinking of the UL 2-Hr rated safe. The test for this rating is that the safe is heated to 1850 degrees for 2 hours, during which the inside temperature must remain BELOW 350 F for the duration.

Well gee, thanks! That STILL doesn't tell me whether my coins are safe, now does it?

First...I don't know how FAR below 350...and my target is 320, so I can be pretty close. Nor do I know whether the wife's 83 pairs of shoes in the closet with my safe burn at 1850 degrees or not. :scratch:

The "answer" for us as collectors, is, as always, to do a bit of research.

Question number one is to demand to see the actual test results on the safe. This, of course, is part and parcel of buying what i called a 'real safe" earlier in the thread. Amazon and Home Depot aren't going to have this information on hand...if you can even find a human being to talk to who knows what you're asking for! A reputable dealer at a security firm, on the other hand, will have...or be willing to get...that information for you.

You might find, with that simple question, your concerns are resolved. My own safe's test results showed the interior never reached 300 degrees during the 2 hour test, for example. Problem solved! :thumb:

The next thing to learn is how comparable are the test conditions to what you can expect in your home? While there's no way to be exact of course, general rule of thumb is that your average house fire will be in the 1100-1200 degree range within 30 minutes or so...meaning, for at least that period of time, conditions will be FAR cooler than the test conditions.

And finally...how realistic is 2 hours? What sort of fire protection does your home have? Are you in an apartment with sprinklers? Is there a FD nearby, or are you rural protected by a VFD whose response time may be longer? Where is the safe...is it near framework that might be expected to burn quickly, or in the basement where it may be 40 minutes before the flames even get there, or in the garage, near the gasoline or gas lines?

Bottom line...nobody can really tell you for sure that your coins are, or aren't, safe from any given fire. But knowing how to protect them is a much more complicated process than merely assuming that the holders will melt because the rating says 350 degrees.

 

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I agree. But the key (IMO) to my canine security system (large dog, in the house) is to never let outsiders (other than my family, a few chosen friends and a couple neighbors) KNOW that my dog is a pushover or will cower when yelled at. Bottom line is I still don't know what he would do if he was confronted by someone he didn't know who was breaking into the house. I've been told that he probably would react to protect me if I was home, and all. I know one time workers came to my home early while I was still in bed, and walked near my window. He growled (different than I ever heard him before, a warning growl) and I woke up. So guess he might. In any case, except for the people I've mentioned, others who come around (solicitors, etc.) (and especially if they ask if the dog is friendly) I TELL THEM that It's possible he might not be with some people he doesn't know, and give the impression he could be a danger to them! That it could, in fact be harmful if he was approached in my house by them or if I opened the door all the way and held him while they were at the door. A good offense is the start of a great defense. :evilGrin:Besides, I also am a big believer in having small amounts of "valuables" in open or not so open or "decoy" (think the portable safes you can get for 30.00 bucks), because if a someone does end up burglarizing my place, it's not a huge loss. If I do share about my collecting coins to someone, I downplay the value and basically just say that I collect from change, bank rolls, etc., and stress how it's not valuable, just that I like doing it to look for the "best" coin I can get for my "meager" collection, then it's less likely that if someone came in they would continue really looking for stuff if they already got more than what they might have expected, and pretty easy too.

Besides, more likely they would want to steal things like TV's etc. I would suppose.:evilGrin:

 

*lol*

From your description, sounds like he'll do JUST FINE if the time ever comes. Even the most "skittish" of dogs will do some unexpected things when their pack is threatened.

I like the idea of "decoys" as well...it's all about time and effort, and anything we can do to increase either of those decreases the threat to our stuff.

 

VERY good advice.

Your homeowner's policy quite likely does NOT cover a high-value collection.

 

Put the valuables in a good floor safe, poured into the foundation. If you can't get a good safe, at least put the valuables in a location a thief (hopefully) will not think to look. Where? Be creative. A thief breaks into the house, they are not going to waste time, and they are going to look in the usual places: office desks, dressers, closets, under beds.

Also, there is no better deterrent than a large dog that does not like visitors when the owner is away.

 

This makes me feel better and the rest of your post is useful information. Now I need to find out what kind of plastic is used in my coin albums for the slides. These albums contain much less valuable coins but they are still coins I would rather not have ruined by a fire.